Torino won their first game of the new season as they kept their first clean sheet since January with a 3-0 victory over Sassuolo.
Lorenzo De Silvestri, Antonio Barreca and Tomas Rincon all came into the team from the side who drew with Bologna on the opening day.
Toro made a bright start in the opening ten minutes, but first Alex Berenguer, and then Andrea Belotti were unable to make contact with crosses from the right wing.
The Granata took the lead on the stroke of half time in a move started by an excellent piece of composure by new signing Nicolas N'Koulou. The Cameroon international then passed the ball to Lorenzo De Silvestri whose deep cross was scissor-kicked into the net by Andrea Belotti.
The away side almost equalised in fortuitous circumstances as his cross was deflected and almost beat Sirigu at his near post but it instead hit the post.
Simone Edera almost made an instant impact after coming off the bench, but dragged his shot wide of the target within seconds of entering the pitch.
However, Toro doubled their lead with just over five minutes remaining as Iago Falque intercepted a poor back pass by Alfred Duncan, and unselfishly set up Adem Ljajic who scored his second of the season.
Toro added a third goal minutes later as a great run by Belotti resulted in the Granata skipper cutting the ball back for Joel Obi who side-footed home.
Forza Toro
Monday, 28 August 2017
Sunday, 27 August 2017
Torino v Sassuolo Preview
Brazilian defender Lyanco is available after injury and could make his debut, whilst Tomas Rincon could make his first start in midfield.
This was an entertaining fixture on the final day of last season, with Toro prevailing as 5-3 winners, with Iago Falque and Andrea Belotti both on the scoresheet.
The Sassuolo coach on that day, Eusebio Di Francesco, has since left the club to join Roma, so it was new coach Cristian Bucchi who oversaw their opening game of the season last weekend - a 0-0 draw at home to Genoa.
Prediction
Torino 2-1 Sassuolo
Tuesday, 22 August 2017
Bologna 1-1 Torino
Torino opened the 2017/18 Serie A season with an away draw against Bologna, but saw a late winner disallowed in farcical circumstances due to confusion over the new VAR system.
Salvatore Sirigu, Nicolas N'Koulou and Alex Berenguer all made debuts for Toro, whilst Afriyie Acquah was a surprise starter despite speculation regarding his future.
There was a minute's silence before the match to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attack in Barcelona on Thursday. This was particularly poignant for Toro fans, because one of the Italian victims, Luca Russo, was a Torino supporter.
Andrea Belotti had Torino's first chance of the match, but he headed Davide Zappacosta's fine cross wide of the target. However, just before the half hour mark, Toro fell behind when Federico Di Francesco fired a fine left footed volley into the top corner.
Toro were level just six minutes later thanks to a fine individual goal from Adem Ljajic, as the Serbian playmaker nutmegged a defender before hitting a low shot into the corner of the net - although Antonio Mirante will be disappointed not to save it.
Mirante made amends in the second half by making an excellent save to deny Ljajic's long range free kick.
With only minutes remaining, Toro thought they had a winner when Alex Berenguer converted after Andrea Belotti's assist, however the referee had already blew his whistle to check with the Video Assistant Referee whether Belotti had been offside in the build up. It turned out that Belotti was on side as the through ball came off a Bologna player, and therefore Toro had been denied a valid winning goal due to a refereeing error.
However, Toro made a promising start to the new season and will now look for their first victory of the season at home to Sassuolo next Saturday.
Forza Toro and RIP Luca
Salvatore Sirigu, Nicolas N'Koulou and Alex Berenguer all made debuts for Toro, whilst Afriyie Acquah was a surprise starter despite speculation regarding his future.
There was a minute's silence before the match to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attack in Barcelona on Thursday. This was particularly poignant for Toro fans, because one of the Italian victims, Luca Russo, was a Torino supporter.
Andrea Belotti had Torino's first chance of the match, but he headed Davide Zappacosta's fine cross wide of the target. However, just before the half hour mark, Toro fell behind when Federico Di Francesco fired a fine left footed volley into the top corner.
Toro were level just six minutes later thanks to a fine individual goal from Adem Ljajic, as the Serbian playmaker nutmegged a defender before hitting a low shot into the corner of the net - although Antonio Mirante will be disappointed not to save it.
Mirante made amends in the second half by making an excellent save to deny Ljajic's long range free kick.
With only minutes remaining, Toro thought they had a winner when Alex Berenguer converted after Andrea Belotti's assist, however the referee had already blew his whistle to check with the Video Assistant Referee whether Belotti had been offside in the build up. It turned out that Belotti was on side as the through ball came off a Bologna player, and therefore Toro had been denied a valid winning goal due to a refereeing error.
However, Toro made a promising start to the new season and will now look for their first victory of the season at home to Sassuolo next Saturday.
Forza Toro and RIP Luca
Sunday, 20 August 2017
Bologna v Torino Preview
Toro have managed to keep hold of prized asset Andrea Belotti, whilst new signings Salvatore Sirigu, Nicolas N'Koulou and Alex Berenguer should all start.
However, the Granata have not kept a clean sheet since January 8th and lost this fixture last season 2-0 - albeit without the suspended Belotti.
Bologna have already been eliminated from the Coppa Italia after an embarrassing 3-0 home defeat to Cittadella after former Toro winger was sent off after only five minutes.
Prediction
Bologna 1-2 Torino
Sunday, 13 August 2017
Torino 7-1 Trapani
Torino made a stunning start to the new season with a thumping 7-1 victory against Serie C side Trapani on Friday evening to progress to the next round of the Coppa Italia.
Siniša Mihajlović chose to line up with arguably his strongest available eleven as Salvatore Sirigu, Nicolas N'Koulou and Alex Berenguer all made debuts.
Siniša Mihajlović chose to line up with arguably his strongest available eleven as Salvatore Sirigu, Nicolas N'Koulou and Alex Berenguer all made debuts.
Toro were ahead after only thirteen minutes as Adem Ljajic's excellent through ball found Andrea Belotti, and il Gallo slid the ball past Richard Marcone to open his account for the season.
However, Trapani were surprisingly level five minutes later when defender Pasquale Fazio headed home at the near post from a corner. However, Fazio then diverted Belotti's cross into his own net as Toro quickly regained the lead.
Spanish winger Alex Berenguer scored a debut goal after rounding the keeper, whilst Belotti and Joel Obi both scored before the break to give Toro a 5-1 half time lead.
Iago Falque volleyed home a lovely Adem Ljajic assist to score a sixth, whilst substitute Lorenzo De Silvestri scored from an acute angle in the closing minutes to give Toro the perfect start to the new campaign.
Forza Toro
Monday, 29 May 2017
Torino 5-3 Sassuolo
Torino's final 90 minutes of the 2016/17 Serie A season was an entertaining encounter which typified their campaign as a whole as they beat Sassuolo 5-3 at the Stadio Grande Torino.
Toro took the lead with only six minutes on the clock as Lucas Boyé collected the ball on the left wing before beating his man and curling an inch-perfect shot into the far corner to score his first Serie A goal.
However, Sassuolo were level less than ten minutes later, as despite Joe Hart's excellent save from Stefano Sensi, Gregoire Defrel was on hand to score. That goal would mean that Hart would not end his Toro career with a clean sheet - and that the Granata would fail to keep a clean sheet in the entire second half of the season.
Toro regained the lead when Andrea Belotti's exquisite assist gave Daniele Baselli the freedom of the Stadio Grande Torino to pick his spot and score.
Defrel grabbed his second equaliser of the game when he converted Matteo Politano's inadvertent pass and fired passed Joe Hart. Torino re-gained the lead on the stroke of half time when Lorenzo De Silvestri scored his first goal for the club after finishing a move that he started.
Iago Falque added a fourth for Toro after capitalising on a heavy touch from his own team mate Andrea Belotti which then presented the ball on a plate for the former Roma winger. However, Belotti would have a much deserved goal of his own to celebrate as he fired past Gianluca Pegolo to add a fifth.
Gregoire Defrel was able to complete his hat trick from the penalty spot after substitute Juan Iturbe upended Pol Lirola.
Toro ended what has been a mixed campaign on a high with and entertaining final game which secured a 9th placed finish in Sinisa Mihajlovic's debut season.
Toro took the lead with only six minutes on the clock as Lucas Boyé collected the ball on the left wing before beating his man and curling an inch-perfect shot into the far corner to score his first Serie A goal.
However, Sassuolo were level less than ten minutes later, as despite Joe Hart's excellent save from Stefano Sensi, Gregoire Defrel was on hand to score. That goal would mean that Hart would not end his Toro career with a clean sheet - and that the Granata would fail to keep a clean sheet in the entire second half of the season.
Toro regained the lead when Andrea Belotti's exquisite assist gave Daniele Baselli the freedom of the Stadio Grande Torino to pick his spot and score.
Defrel grabbed his second equaliser of the game when he converted Matteo Politano's inadvertent pass and fired passed Joe Hart. Torino re-gained the lead on the stroke of half time when Lorenzo De Silvestri scored his first goal for the club after finishing a move that he started.
Iago Falque added a fourth for Toro after capitalising on a heavy touch from his own team mate Andrea Belotti which then presented the ball on a plate for the former Roma winger. However, Belotti would have a much deserved goal of his own to celebrate as he fired past Gianluca Pegolo to add a fifth.
Gregoire Defrel was able to complete his hat trick from the penalty spot after substitute Juan Iturbe upended Pol Lirola.
Toro ended what has been a mixed campaign on a high with and entertaining final game which secured a 9th placed finish in Sinisa Mihajlovic's debut season.
Saturday, 27 May 2017
Torino v Sassuolo Preview
The Granata will either finish 9th or 10th in Sinisa Mihajlovic's debut season, a campaign which promised much initially, but an inability to keep clean sheets ruined Toro's hopes of European qualification. In fact, Toro's last clean sheet was actually against Sassuolo back in January.
Adem Ljajic is suspended so Toro may revert back to a 4-3-3 formation, whilst Joe Hart will almost certainly be playing his last game for the club as his loan deal expires at the end of this game.
Sassuolo have won three of their last five games and are looking for a top 10 finish for a second consecutive season.
Prediction
Torino 2-2 Sassuolo
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