Spotlight: Christmas Kaka Thursday 21 December, 2006
Football Italia rounds up the winners and the losers from Week 17 of the Serie A season.
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The winners…
Kaka (Milan)
Kaka has been Milan’s most consistent player in their inconsistent start and he was the star of the show again against Catania. He caused the Sicilian outfit a host of problems throughout and ended the tie with a deserved brace. In form like this, he can lead the Rossoneri to Champions League qualification which is now just six points away.
Amantino Mancini (Roma)
Another good day at the office for Amantino Mancini. The Brazilian, who had already grabbed a brace against Palermo, was in fine form again against Torino. He was a constant headache for the Toro rearguard and grabbed a goal late on after playing a significant part in Francesco Totti’s ‘backside’ strike too.
Luca Toni (Fiorentina)
After seeing strike partner Adrian Mutu net a brace and win the plaudits against Milan on Saturday, the Italian hit back with a pair of his own in the win at Cagliari. His first was down to his goal sense, his second thanks to an unexpected solo dribble.
The losers…
Mauro Esposito (Cagliari)
Those fans expecting a change of Coach to revitalise Mauro Esposito were left disappointed in Sardinia. The man who was regularly called up by Marcello Lippi during his Azzurri reign is having a nightmare campaign and that lack of form continued against Fiorentina. They may as well have played with 10 men…
Zeljko Kalac (Milan)
It’s now clear why this massive Australian is only a reserve goalkeeper. After a number of mixed displays in recent weeks, the custodian looked decidedly shaky in the closing stages against Catania. Should Nelson Dida remain sidelined for a few more months, Kalac’s inability could compromise Milan’s season.
Goran Pandev (Lazio)
The stage was set for Goran Pandev to haunt his former club when leaders Inter arrived in Rome. Yet the Macedonian was far from his devastating best – even after the Nerazzurri were reduced to 10 men after the harsh dismissal of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His Coach would have expected more.
The goals…
Daniele Paponi (Parma)
Goal of the evening went to Parma’s Daniele Paponi. Paolo Castellini’s shot was only parried by Marco Storari and as the ball looped into the path of a falling Paponi, he managed to co-ordinate himself and score with a back-heeled scissor-kick. Simply remarkable!
Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria)
This striker doesn’t do tap-ins. Fabio Quagliarella’s latest wonder goal came courtesy of a long-range volley which gave Marco Amelia no chance in the Livorno sticks. Technically excellent.
Raffaele De Martino (Udinese)
Although he was sent-off against Atalanta for two yellow cards, this former Roma youth product will remember this tie for different reasons after netting his first in Serie A. The ball fell across the area and De Martino immediately smashed it home in style to make it 1-1.
The numbers…
Roman conquerors
Inter are closing in on the Serie A record of 11 straight wins, achieved by Roma last season, after the 2-0 win at Lazio was their tenth in a row. They also managed to beat the Biancocelesti in the capital for the first time in a decade after an Alessandro Nesta own goal gave them a 1-0 back in March 1996.
Just 17
Ascoli has equalled an unwanted club record of going 17 games without a win. The Bianconeri set that in 1984-85 when they drew nine games in that run, whereas they have only netted six draws in the present campaign.
Live and let slide
Livorno are on the slide. The loss at Sampdoria was their fifth on the road this term and they have collected just two points from the last 15. They also have 10 points less than they had at this stage in the last campaign under Roberto Donadoni.
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Words: Antonio Labbate
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