Parma 2-2 Cesena - Palladino strikes late on

Posted Sunday, February 20, 2011 by PA

Raffaele Palladino's 89th-minute strike prevented Cesena from leaving the Stadio Ennio Tardini with an ill-deserved victory in a 2-2 draw with Parma.

The visitors, second from bottom in the Serie A table, led twice through Alessandro Rosina and Paolo Sammarco despite Parma dominating the game.

But Hernan Crespo's penalty and Palladino's late intervention ensured a point for the hosts, the very least they deserved.

Parma had several chances to take the lead before Rosina opened the scoring but they found visiting keeper Francesco Antonioli in inspired form.

The veteran had already gathered Antonio Candreva's ambitious cross-shot before he twice brilliantly denied Jonathan Giovinco. A curling free-kick from 25 yards drew an excellent diving save in the right-hand corner before Antonioli again dived to keep out Giovinco's drive from the edge of the box.

Blerim Dzemaili then fizzed a 30-yard strike narrowly over the bar before the opener arrived at the other end.

And in contrast to Antonioli's heroics, Parma keeper Antonio Mirante was to blame as his fumble presented Rosina with a straightforward close-range finish.

Antonioli once again defied his 41 years to save superbly from Massimo Paci and Carvalho Amauri failed to make contact with Stefano Morrone's free-kick in the final chance of the half.

The familiar pattern continued in the early stages of the second period as Francesco Valiani's cross offered Amauri a close-range header which was brilliantly repelled by Antonioli.

Mirante was given a rare taste of the action when he saved Fabio Caserta's 20-yard curler before Antonioli was finally beaten.

Perhaps inevitably, it took a spot-kick for Parma to find a way through. Felipe Dal Bello hauled down Amauri and Crespo stepped up to slot the penalty past Antonioli.

Amauri headed wide and Erjon Bogdani's drive drew a flying save from Mirante before Cesena once more edged ahead. Stefano Morrone's error allowed Luca Ceccarelli to tee up Sammarco for a close-range finish.

But Palladino levelled the scores once more with a minute left on the clock, skipping into the box and firing low past Antonioli to equalise.