PARMA EASE INTO FIRST ROUND OF TIM CUP
05 December 2018
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- Parma ease into First Round of competition
- Modena offer very little to threaten Raffaele Di Gennaro bar effort for the goal
- AC Milan and the San Siro await Parma in next round
Three goals in a mad four minute spell saw Parma qualify for the First Round of the TIM Cup where they will now meet AC Milan at the San Siro. Nigerian forward Imoh Ezekiel was on hand to score his first goal for his new club, with Yves Baraye grabbing Parma’s second in a game where really they should have scored more, further highlighting Parma’s need to be that little bit more clinical in front of goal. Modena’s goal came from a poor error by Raffaele Di Gennaro where the former Internazionale goalkeeper should have done a lot better with Pablo Granoche capitalising to score a consolation goal for Hernan Crespo’s side.
The opening goal came in the 37th minute of the game as Imoh Ezekiel was fed through by a brilliant through ball from Lazaros Christodopoulos, who continued his fine start to the season with his new club, playing the pass in to the area with the outside of his right foot. Two minutes later Yves Baraye had fired Parma two nil ahead as Rodrigo Alborno spotted the Senegalese midfielder on the edge of the area with Baraye taking aim and firing the ball into the bottom corner to all but secure Parma’s place in the First Round. However Modena did manage to pull one back when Andrea Marcucci fired in from outside the area. It was an easy chance for Raffaele Di Gennaro to mop up but the Italian keeper spilt the ball straight in front of him and Pablo Granoche managed to latch on to the loose ball first and score the only goal of the game for Modena as they crashed out and Parma moved on through to the First Round.
Manager Paolo Vanoli later spoke to the media and the club’s website after the game claiming
”It was never really in doubt. We created a lot of chances and I am happy that we have qualified. This time last year we had qualified and were about to face Juventus as a Serie B club and it was always going to be a tough game, but this year AC Milan are next and we’re confident we can maybe snatch something. They’re a great club of course but we played well against them in the league and if we can build on that, we could get the victory and a place in the Quarter Finals.”
LATE GOAL HANDS MILAN EXTRA TIME WIN
19 December 2018
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- Carlos Bacca’s goal in the 119th sends AC Milan through
- Parma had levelled in the 116th minute
- Rodrigo Alborno’s sending off proves turning point in tie
Despite a strong and spirited performance, Parma were knocked out of the Coppa Italia as Carlos Bacca scored in the 119th minute to send the side sitting 3rd in Serie A through to the Quarter Finals. It was always going to be a difficult task for Parma to make it through to the Quarter Finals but their recent revival in form and their position of 9th in Serie A had given the club optimism that they could make it through to the Quarter Finals and goals from Pedro Pereira and Imoh Ezekiel gave the travelling contingent hope. However their hopes and hearts were broken in the 119th minute as Bacca slotted home to make it 3-2 on the night and make sure that a cruel penalty shootout was avoided by the Milanese side. It was a performance that Parma could be proud of and the quality on show bodes well for the rest of the season in Serie A, which is now Paolo Vanoli’s only concern.
The game got off to a high tempo start and in the 30th minute, Milan were in front as Keko fired in front close range, although Raffaele Di Gennaro should have done a lot better. Parma though weren’t deflated and had their equaliser in the 62nd minute as Lazaros Christodopoulos found Pedro Pereira free out wide on the right. The Portuguese full back took aim into the area, sending the cross into the area although his slight miskick saw the ball fly over the head of Donnarumma and into the net to level the scores. It was a goal that sent the game into extra time and meant that two teams looking exhausted would have to play an extra half an hour of football. Then in the 96th minute Parma were given a massive task as Rodrigo Alborno was sent off for pulling Andrea Poli’s shirt, before the victim fired in Milan’s second goal in the 102nd minute after some good work by Giacomo Bonaventura. Again, Parma were not giving up and in the 116th minute Imoh Ezekiel slotted the ball between Donnarumma’s legs to make it 2-2 and make the tie look like it was destined for penalties. However Milan had other ideas as Bonaventura lobbed the ball over a Parma defence of pushing too high and Carlos Bacca picked the ball up before placing it past Raffaele Di Gennaro to send the home fans wild as Milan secured their place in the Quarter Finals.
Despite his sides defeat, Paolo Vanoli was still upbeat about his side’s performances and was optimistic about the rest of the season.
”Tonight, we showed that we can play against the top teams in this division and we gave Milan a much more difficult tie than I think they were expecting. It has been a fantastic game to watch as a neutral and obviously we are devastated to have been knocked out the way we have been. However we will regroup and give our absolute all in the remaining fixtures in Serie A because now we can just concentrate on that and finish as strongly as possible, especially now that we are playing some very good football.”