Bologna 1 : 1 Genoa - Bologna reach milestone

Posted Sunday, March 20, 2011 by PA

Bologna reached the 40-point mark for the season as they played out a draw with Genoa which suited both teams.

Marco Di Vaio put the hosts ahead after 28 minutes, but they could not hang on to their lead for long as Dario Dainelli levelled two minutes before the break.

With both sides comfortably in mid-table in Serie A, it was perhaps a predictable outcome.

Genoa were on a high after their win over Palermo last time out and they started with confidence, Antonio Floro Flores sending an effort narrowly over the bar inside two minutes.

At the other end, Luigi Della Rocca's curling 25-yard free-kick went just wide of goal.

Floro Flores was again in the action after 16 minutes as his goalbound strike from 10 yards was well saved by Emiliano Viviano.

Viviano could do nothing 10 minutes later when he was beaten by Giandomenico Mesto's free-kick, but the ball skimmed the post on its way behind.

It was Bologna, though, who took the lead moments later when Di Vaio controlled the ball on his chest and fired into the bottom-right corner.

Genoa goalkeeper Eduardo kept his side in the game after 41 minutes when he saved a shot from Della Rocca.

And he was rewarded two minutes later as Dainelli latched onto a free-kick from Omar Milanetto to level from close range.

Abdoulay Konko could have turned the match around completely a minute before the break but fired over from 10 yards.

There were plenty of chances after the break at both ends, with Federico Casarini wayward for Bologna and Viviano easily saving Genoa forward Floro Flores' shot after a good cross from Milanetto.

Emiliano Moretti then cleared Casarini's effort off the line.

Rodrigo Palacio headed wide from close range and Di Vaio's attempted lob went over with Eduardo off his line.

Eduardo was increasingly busy as the half progressed but he was equal to long-range strikes from Casarini and Nicolo Cherubin.

Viviano, meanwhile, had his post to thank when we was beaten by Moretti's free-kick, but did well to save Domenico Criscito's strike two minutes from the end.