Novara Calcio 2 : 2 Palermo - Palermo deny Mutti maiden win

Palermo somehow found a way to ensure Bortolo Mutti's first game in charge did not end in victory as Novara recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2.

With Devis Mangia dismissed as coach after Sunday's 2-0 loss at Catania, the Rosanero powerbrokers called on Mutti to try and steer their side back into European contention.

Their decision looked to have worked too, with a Carlalberto Ludi own goal and a strike from Nicolas Bertolo putting them on course for the win even in spite of Josip Ilicic's first-half red card.

But Andrea Mazzarani started a Biancoazzurri fightback with 13 minutes left, and Marco Rigoni equalised with six minutes remaining to stun the visitors.

With Novara firmly entrenched in a relegation battle, a positive result was needed, and Raffaele Rubino showed their intent with a first-minute drive that went just over.

Ilicic responded with a long-range sighter, before Edgar Barreto also went close for the away side.

The pressure was mounting and in the 20th minute, Palermo went ahead, with Luci bundling into his own goal from six yards.

Rigoni took aim in a bid to get Novara back in it, with Fillipo Porcari also going close for Attilio Tesser's men with a left-footed strike.

The action was end to end and Ilicic dragged one wide, before he was sent off three minutes before the break for starting a mass brawl.

Granoche nearly made him pay as he slammed an effort into the post as half-time approached.

Barreto put a free-kick over the bar at the start of the second period and Samir Ujkani kept Edgar Alvarez out as Palermo made light of their numerical disadvantage.

They did that to the full with 16 minutes left, as Bertolo danced past two defenders and beat Ujkani from close range.

Crucially for Novara, they equalised within 180 seconds, with Mazzarani's half-volley clipping Matias Silvestre on its way in.

The home side had the momentum and Porcari shot wide, before Rigoni levelled things up with six minutes remaining, volleying in after a Michel Morganella cross.