Torino won their first group game in the Europa League group stage due to a dramatic Fabio Quagliarella penalty in injury time.
Giampiero Ventura surprisingly selected his first choice back three of Nikola Maksimovic, Kamil Glik and Emiliano Moretti whilst Josef Martinez was partnered with Amauri up front.
The Granata should have taken the lead after twenty minutes, but Emiliano Moretti somehow hit the bar with a free header from only three yards.
Torino continued to create the better chances, and left wing back Cristian Molinaro was only denied by a smart save from Stephan Anderson in the København goal.
The Danish side also missed a great opportunity through former Cardiff City striker Andreas Cornelius but he also somehow contrived to miss a free header from a corner.
Josef Martinez was proving to be a particularly useful outlet up front, and he used his pace to get a shot on goal but was denied by Anderson.
Just when it looked like Torino would be denied, former Bologna defender Mikael Antonsson pulled back substitute Fabio Quagliarella in the area in injury time.
Toro have had difficulties from the penalty spot this season, but there was little doubt that Quagliarella would score, and he did so to give Torino a deserved victory, and three vital points.
Forza Toro
Friday, 3 October 2014
Wednesday, 1 October 2014
Torino v København Preview
Giampiero Ventura is expected to rotate his squad, just as he did in the opening game away to Brugge, and that may enable players such as Pontus Jansson, Marco Benassi and Josef Martinez to receive some game time.
København currently lead group B having beaten HJK Helsinki in matchday one, however their domestic form is not so impressive as they are currently 5th in the Danish league.
These two sides have met before in Europe, with Toro emerging victorious in both legs of the 1991/92 Europa league quarter finals.
Prediction
Torino 2-1 København
Monday, 29 September 2014
Torino 1-1 Fiorentina
Torino were unable to make it two wins in a week as they were denied by a late Fiorentina equaliser in a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon.
Giampiero Ventura made only one change from the side that beat Cagliari on Wednesday, as Jean Francois Gillet replaced Daniele Padelli who made a costly mistake in that game.
Torino almost took the lead in sensational fashion as Fabio Quagliarella almost had another goal to had to his lengthy highlight reel, but his strike from fully forty yards was tipped over the bar by Neto.
At the other end, Jean Francois Gillet made an excellent save to deny Khouma Babacar from Borja Valero's outstanding assist. Excellent work from Omar El Kaddouri almost gave Juan Sanchez Mino the opportunity to score his first goal for Toro, but his shot went wide.
Just before half time Neto denied Quagliarella once again as he made a brilliant fingertip save to deny the Italian international.
In the second half, the former Juventus striker turned provider as he played in Matteo Darmian, but the full back's effort was way off target. However, Toro finally made the break though when the impressive Bruno Peres found Fabio Quagliarella who took his time before finding the bottom corner.
However, Toro were unable to hold on to the lead and with ten minutes remaining substitute Federico Bernardeschi found Babacar with a exquisite pass and the striker calmly rounded Gillet to score his first Serie A goal in 1653 days.
Neither side were able to find a winning goal, and whilst Toro will be disappointed by their inability to hold on to their lead, their performances continue to get better.
Forza Toro
Giampiero Ventura made only one change from the side that beat Cagliari on Wednesday, as Jean Francois Gillet replaced Daniele Padelli who made a costly mistake in that game.
Torino almost took the lead in sensational fashion as Fabio Quagliarella almost had another goal to had to his lengthy highlight reel, but his strike from fully forty yards was tipped over the bar by Neto.
At the other end, Jean Francois Gillet made an excellent save to deny Khouma Babacar from Borja Valero's outstanding assist. Excellent work from Omar El Kaddouri almost gave Juan Sanchez Mino the opportunity to score his first goal for Toro, but his shot went wide.
Just before half time Neto denied Quagliarella once again as he made a brilliant fingertip save to deny the Italian international.
In the second half, the former Juventus striker turned provider as he played in Matteo Darmian, but the full back's effort was way off target. However, Toro finally made the break though when the impressive Bruno Peres found Fabio Quagliarella who took his time before finding the bottom corner.
However, Toro were unable to hold on to the lead and with ten minutes remaining substitute Federico Bernardeschi found Babacar with a exquisite pass and the striker calmly rounded Gillet to score his first Serie A goal in 1653 days.
Neither side were able to find a winning goal, and whilst Toro will be disappointed by their inability to hold on to their lead, their performances continue to get better.
Forza Toro
Saturday, 27 September 2014
Torino v Fiorentina Preview
Daniele Padelli has paid the price for his mistake against Cagliari, and doesn't even make the Toro squad for this game, therefore Belgian stopper Jean-Francois Gillet is expected to start.
Bruno Peres impressed many in midweek so will also be expected to retain his place, whilst Giampiero Ventura may be tempted to bring Amauri back into the starting eleven.
Opponents Fiorentina have also struggled for goals this season, and have only found the target once in their four matches so far - although this was enough to earn a victory against Atalanta last weekend.
Prediction
Torino 0-0 Fiorentina
Thursday, 25 September 2014
Cagliari 1-2 Torino
Torino had to come from behind to earn their first victory of the season after beating Cagliari 2-1 on Wednesday night.
With Toro struggling for goals, Giampiero Ventura surprisingly decided to leave out Amauri and reinforce the midfield with Alessandro Gazzi and Juan Sanchez Mino both earning starts. Brazilian full back Bruno Peres also made his first start, with Matteo Darmian switching to left wing back.
The Granata made a terrible start, and went behind after only ten minutes when Daniele Padelli's poor clearance went straight to Andrea Cossu and the midfielder kept his cool to score from just inside the area.
However, Toro were level just ten minutes later as captain Kamil Glik scored on his one hundredth appearance for the club by heading in Juan Sanchez Mino's corner. The remarkable turnaround was complete moments later when Torino took the lead through a cleverly worked free kick routine.
Gazzi played the ball forward to Omar El Kaddouri, whose clever flick found Fabio Quagliarella in space and he made no mistake in firing the ball past Alessio Cragno.
Bruno Peres was having an impressive full debut for Toro, and he almost capped it off with a goal but his curling left footed shot went narrowly wide of the post. Omar El Kaddouri almost made amends for his missed penalty against Hellas Verona, but his long range shot clipped the top of the crossbar.
Substitute Amauri almost scored his first Torino goal in the closing stages, but his effort from Bruno Peres' assist went wide of the target.
Toro were deserving winners in the end, and showed great character to come from behind to secure their first win of the season.
Forza Toro
With Toro struggling for goals, Giampiero Ventura surprisingly decided to leave out Amauri and reinforce the midfield with Alessandro Gazzi and Juan Sanchez Mino both earning starts. Brazilian full back Bruno Peres also made his first start, with Matteo Darmian switching to left wing back.
The Granata made a terrible start, and went behind after only ten minutes when Daniele Padelli's poor clearance went straight to Andrea Cossu and the midfielder kept his cool to score from just inside the area.
However, Toro were level just ten minutes later as captain Kamil Glik scored on his one hundredth appearance for the club by heading in Juan Sanchez Mino's corner. The remarkable turnaround was complete moments later when Torino took the lead through a cleverly worked free kick routine.
Gazzi played the ball forward to Omar El Kaddouri, whose clever flick found Fabio Quagliarella in space and he made no mistake in firing the ball past Alessio Cragno.
Bruno Peres was having an impressive full debut for Toro, and he almost capped it off with a goal but his curling left footed shot went narrowly wide of the post. Omar El Kaddouri almost made amends for his missed penalty against Hellas Verona, but his long range shot clipped the top of the crossbar.
Substitute Amauri almost scored his first Torino goal in the closing stages, but his effort from Bruno Peres' assist went wide of the target.
Toro were deserving winners in the end, and showed great character to come from behind to secure their first win of the season.
Forza Toro
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Cagliari v Torino Preview
As the Granata have not scored a league goal all season, Giampiero Ventura may be tempted in giving Marcelo Larrondo or Josef Martinez a start up front.
Like Toro, Cagliari have also not won a game so far this season having lost against Atalanta and Roma and drawing on the opening day against Sassuolo.
Prediction
Cagliari 1-1 Torino
Torino 0-1 Hellas Verona
Torino's quest for a first win and goal of the season as they fell to a disappointing 1-0 home defeat against Hellas Verona on Sunday evening.
As expected, first choice back three Cesare Bovo, Kamil Glik and Emiliano Moretti returned to the starting eleven, and for the second game in succession the front two were Fabio Quagliarella and Amauri.
It was the away side who came closest in the opening exchanges, as first former Toro man Panagiotis Tachtsidis put a free header wide of the post and then Juanito Gomez hit the post from an almost identical position.
Toro finally woke up and it was centre back Cesare Bovo who came closest for the home side, but his drilled effort went wide of the post.
The Granata had a much better start to the second half, with Emiliano Moretti and Amauri both going close when well placed. Fabio Quagliarella came narrowly close to scoring his first league goal of the season but his long range effort was parried by Rafael and then thirty seconds later his header glanced wide of the post.
Hellas took the lead against the run of play when only three minutes after coming on, substitute Artur Ionita cut in from the right wing and his shot bounced over the arms of Daniele Padelli.
With only two minutes remaining, Torino had a great chance to equalise as debutant Bruno Peres was upended in the area by Rafael Marquez, but Omar El Kaddouri missed the resulting penalty, and also the rebound.
Whilst the performance was much more promising than last weekend against Sampdoria, the result was the same as Toro lost their second game of the season, and have yet to score a league goal in three matches.
Forza Toro
As expected, first choice back three Cesare Bovo, Kamil Glik and Emiliano Moretti returned to the starting eleven, and for the second game in succession the front two were Fabio Quagliarella and Amauri.
It was the away side who came closest in the opening exchanges, as first former Toro man Panagiotis Tachtsidis put a free header wide of the post and then Juanito Gomez hit the post from an almost identical position.
Toro finally woke up and it was centre back Cesare Bovo who came closest for the home side, but his drilled effort went wide of the post.
The Granata had a much better start to the second half, with Emiliano Moretti and Amauri both going close when well placed. Fabio Quagliarella came narrowly close to scoring his first league goal of the season but his long range effort was parried by Rafael and then thirty seconds later his header glanced wide of the post.
Hellas took the lead against the run of play when only three minutes after coming on, substitute Artur Ionita cut in from the right wing and his shot bounced over the arms of Daniele Padelli.
With only two minutes remaining, Torino had a great chance to equalise as debutant Bruno Peres was upended in the area by Rafael Marquez, but Omar El Kaddouri missed the resulting penalty, and also the rebound.
Whilst the performance was much more promising than last weekend against Sampdoria, the result was the same as Toro lost their second game of the season, and have yet to score a league goal in three matches.
Forza Toro
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)