Week 9 of the SerieA didn't quite produce the excitement of the preceding week as the status quo at the top of the table was maintained. The top three won their games easily and Inter managed to keep their two point lead over Sampdoria intact. Fiorentina and Roma meanwhile dropped points unexpectedly at home losing to Napoli and Livorno respectively. Milan continued their second half revival streak with another come from behind victory away to Cheivo.
Saturday saw Sampdoria host third from bottom Bologna and the Bluecerchiati showed just why they should be considered as real contenders for the Scudetto. Cassano was again in the midst of all the action as he provided Pazzini, wearing a protective mask because of his broken nose, for the first goal of the game after just 7 minutes. It was 2-0 on 16 minutes following some great interplay by the Genovese side. Cassano fed Pazzini who chested the ball and looped it to Mannini who spectacularly volleyed home from close range. And ten minutes later the lead was further increased as Zeigler found the bottom corner from the edge of the area with a diagonal effort. Di Vaio was sent off a minute later and on 33 minutes 'Il Talentino' was at it once again as he drew three defenders and crossed it to Mannini for another tap-in. After an explosive first-half, the second one was predictably calmer and Osvaldo scored a consolation for Bologna in their 4-1 rout.
Inter also were in action on Saturday as they looked to put their Champions League disappointment behind them against visiting Catania. The last encounter between these two produced more fireworks off the pitch as Catania director Pietro Lo Monaco got involved in a verbal sparring with Mourinho. The champions made a dominant start and were gifted the lead by Catania in the 12th minute. Sulley Muntari played a long ball into the box looking to find Eto'o but the Cameroonian couldn't get to it but neither could the keeper who watched helplessly as it bounced into the net. Then on the half-hour mark Sneijder doubled the lead with an inch perfect free kick from just outside the penalty area. The Dutchman really seems to be coming into his own in the past few weeks and his performances have won him plaudits all around. After the goal Inter didn't really have any more meaningful chances but neither did Catania. The Rossazzuri were gifted a lifeline however by Julio Cesar as he spilled an easy catch and subsequently brought down Plasmiati while trying to recover from his error. Giuseppe then made no mistake from 12 yards out to make it to 2-1 with 4 minutes lef. But thats how it ended and the Nerazzuri remain top.
Sunday saw Juventus travel to Siena. The Old Lady were in charge for most of the game but simply couldn't find the net. Buffon made a few important blocks when Siena broke through. The goal finally came in the 72nd minute as a Diego freekick was headed on by Amauri to give the Turin side the lead. There wasn't anything particularly noteworthy to report about after the goal. Juventus thus came away with a deserved but unspectacular victory to end their four game winless streak. Fiorentina however failed to continue their good run in the league as they were beaten by an impressive Napoli side at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence. The Neapolitans exhibited some of the football which people expected off them after spending heavily in the summer. The Viola were stretched to their limits to keep the side from Naples at bay and only some excellent keeping by Sebastian Frey kept the scores level at half-time. Napoli continued to trouble the home side after the break as well and won a penalty after Hamsik was fouled. Quagliarella's effort was however palmed away by Frey. Napoli finally broke the deadlock on 88 minutes as Maggio sneaked the ball in from close range from a German Denis assisst.
Roma meanwhile suffered a shock defeat at the Stadio Olimpico to bottom placed Livorno. The Giallorossi created loads of opportunities in the first half but failed to convert any of them. And shockingly went behind before the break as Francesco Tavano put the ball past Doni with a near post finish from inside the box. The second half played out in identical fashion as the capital side controlled the game but failed to score even after opposing keeper was sent off for time wasting. Livorno recorded their first win of the campaign in the most unlikely of circumstances and now are in second last place above Siena. Palermo won their third game in a row with a 1-0 victory against Udinese courtesy of a late goal by Bovo. The Sicilian side are now remarkably in fourth place and memories and will be hoping for a repeat of the highly successful 2006-07 campaign. In the other afternoon games Parma lost away 3-1 to Atalanta and Lazio too were defeated 1-0 by Bari on their travels. Genoa continued to lose ground as they lost their lead away at Cagliari to succumb to 3-2 defeat, this is their third successive loss in all competitions.
In the final game of the weekend Chievo hosted an AC Milan side, buoyed no doubt by their midweek triumph against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Like in their previous fixtures the Rossoneri fell behind to a Pinzi strike in only the seventh minute. The Flying Donkeys as they are comically called continued to pressurise Milan and forced Dida into a few good saves. Half-time signalled Milan's revival and they began to look more and more threatening. However Chievo keeper Sorrentino made a string of fine saves to deny them. They finally drew level in the 81st minute as a cross by Pirlo was headed onto the crossbar by substitute Boriello but Alessandro Nesta headed in the rebound. Chievo should have taken the lead in injury time but were denied by a miraculous save from Dida who kept out a Granoche header. Then in the second minute of time added on Nesta popped in again at the far post to head home his and Milan's second of the night. The game finished as it was and Milan recorded a 2-1 victory which took them up to sixth in the table.
The 10th Round of fixtures will be played midweek and Sampdoria's trip to Juventus is the game to watch out for. Milan travel to Napoli on Wednesday as well and champions Inter will welcome Palermo on Thursday night. In other major news from around the footballing world Liverpool snapped their four game losing streak by beating Manchester United 2-0 at Anfield. Fernando Torres and David N'Gog scored for the Merseysiders. And in the other big derby around the globe, River Plate and Boca Juniors played out a fierce 1-1 draw in Argentina. Both teams ended the game with ten men. And that is all for now. Come back for the midweek roundup and plenty more of action from around the globe.
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