Toro makes it four at Parma
Second success in three games for Torino under Roberto D’Aversa on the bench. After Lazio, Parma also paid its dues on the field of the granata, who imposed themselves with a robust 4-1 in a stadium with wide gaps due to the absence of the Piedmontese organized supporters. The two teams went to rest tied but then the hosts took the lead thanks in part to an own goal by the Emilians. Who now have only one point more than Friday night’s rivals: 34 to 33.
The start of the match is immediately lively. In 3′, Vlasic goes to the center with the ball on his foot and, thanks to a deflection by an opponent, the ball ends up at Simeone’s feet: the former Napoli player resoundingly surprises Suzuki by slipping the ball between his legs from a deflected position. A few minutes later Cuesta is forced to make the first change due to Cremaschi’s injury, replaced by Britschgi. Not even ten minutes later came Parma’s equalizer, with Pellegrino soaring a header off Strefezza’s cross and past a less than impeccable Paleari. At the end of the first half, the Granata tried to take the lead again, but Simeone’s header grazed the post and ended up on the bottom.
In the resumption the hosts returned to the field with great determination and within two minutes found two goals. First Ilkhan, making his first Serie A mark, headed Adams’ powerful conclusion back into the goal (long checks to certify it was not Delprato’s own goal), then Keita unluckily deflected it into his own goal after Simeone’s cross was hit. Parma struggled to react and could hardly make themselves dangerous from Paleari’s sides. Zapata, who came in from the bench, finally closed the game with a splendid goal from the distance.
A result that allows Torino to breathe calmer air in the standings, moving further away from the relegation zone. The credit is also due to the work of Roberto D’Aversa, who took over from Marco Baroni in mid-February after a series of negative results culminated with the heavy 6-0 loss suffered on the Como pitch at the end of January. In just three matches, the new granata coach has already picked up two victories, showing that he has conveyed to the team the solidity and mentality that had been lacking throughout the season.
On the opposite front, the defeat interrupts a decidedly positive moment of form for Parma. Cuesta’s Crusaders were coming to this match from five unbeaten rounds, also on the strength of three consecutive clean sheets in recent away matches. It was precisely defensive tightness, however, that failed tonight, with the Emilian team unable to stem the Granata’s newfound scoring streak. Also of note was the absence of Bernabé, out with a physical problem, which deprived Cuesta of a key element in the construction of the game.
