Lanzafame off as Brescia go down

Posted Sunday, May 08, 2011 by PA

Brescia were relegated from Serie A after a 2-1 defeat against Catania left them seven points from safety with two games to go.

The loss was their 20th of the season and they are ending the season on a miserable run of form with just one win in 12, returning to Serie B after just one campaign in the top flight.

And they also finished with 10 men after substitute Davide Lanzafame quickly collected two yellow cards.

Giuseppe Iachini's side started the game knowing a win was imperative and they created the first opening, with Catania goalkeeper Mariano Andujar pushing Alessandro Diamanti's effort round the post.

Ezequiel Schelotto was narrowly wide with a header for Catania and seconds later was challenged as he shaped to shoot before the visitors went ahead.

Matias Silvestre was completely unmarked at the far post and he hit an unstoppable shot past Michele Arcari.

The hosts almost levelled on the stroke of half-time when Diamanti hit a free-kick from the edge of the box which forced Andujar to push the ball out for a corner.

Catania were the dominant attacking force and Alessandro Potenza was almost played through, while Gonzalo Bergessio pounced on some sloppy defending with Arcari quick to come off his line and smother the ball.

Brescia, though, were pushing for an equaliser and Lanzafame shot inches over as the Catania central defence maintained control.

The visitors then doubled their lead with a quarter of an hour remaining, Alejandro Gomez playing in Bergessio who finished well past Arcari.

Lanzafame, who had been on the pitch just 12 minutes and collected his first booking shortly before the second goal, received his marching orders in the 79th minute.

Brescia managed to pull one back when Diamanti scored a long-range free-kick in injury-time, but their one-season stay in Serie A was at an end.