Parma 1 : 2 Genoa - Matri grabs late Genoa winner

Posted Sunday, October 05, 2014 by PA

Alessandro Matri's last-gasp goal condemned hapless Parma to a fifth defeat in six Serie A games.

Genoa's visit to the Stadio Ennio Tardini presented Roberto Donadoni's men with an opportunity to both register an overdue first home win and leave the relegation zone, but it was not to be as they suffered a 2-1 defeat.

Diego Perotti's opener was swiftly followed by the dismissal of Facundo Roncaglia, an incident which allowed Parma to exploit the space and level through Andrea Coda.

But just when the hosts thought they had done enough to secure a valuable point, Matri took advantage of sloppy defending to smash home a stoppage-time winner.

The unfamiliar defensive instability currently plaguing Parma reared its head again within 11 minutes of play on Sunday as Matri was allowed to waltz into the box before blasting just wide.

For a long time Parma could get nowhere near the six-yard box and only Francesco Lodi managed to test Mattia Perin with a couple of long-range sighters.

In the 23rd minute Matri missed another chance. This time the former Juventus striker snaffled Perotti's pin-point assist before mistiming his finish.

Parma managed to tighten up in midfield and, five minutes before the break, fashioned an excellent opportunity as good movement from Coda allowed him past Sebastian De Maio.

The Tuscan picked his spot but the attentive Perin timed his dive correctly to force a corner.

Further shots were exchanged before half-time. Matri once again fluffed his lines to allow Massimo Gobbi to sweep the ball off his feet and then, at the other end, Jose Mauri shaved paint off a post.

Genoa made sure to take the initiative when play resumed and Andrea Bertolacci went very close to hitting the target with a drive from outside the area in the 52nd minute.

Sixty seconds later, the Grifone took the lead.

The opener arrived as Perotti cut inside from the right wing to shoot with his left - Antonio Mirante could only get fingertips to the ball.

Amid the elation Genoa suffered a setback as Roncaglia's second yellow card of the match - this time for handball - led to his dismissal and left them a man down for the remaining half-hour.

Nevertheless the visitors came sniffing again on 61 minutes and Mirante did well to repel Perotti's close-range header before Pedro Mendes cleared the ball to safety.

Parma found their equaliser six minutes later, Coda rolling Gobbi's assist into the Genoa net.

The Gialloblu sensed weakness in their opponents and 10 minutes from time, Coda followed up on Lucas Souza's stinging left-footed strike only to scoop the ball over the crossbar.

Given his profligate performance in the first half, the Parma backline had failed to take Matri entirely seriously, and they were duly punished three minutes into stoppage time.

Just seconds before the final whistle blew, Tomas Rincon sent the AC Milan loanee through on goal and this time he made no mistake in beating the stranded Mirante.