Palermo vs. Fiorentina

In an open and free – flowing encounter the visitors were first to show their attacking intentions. The first goal of the match came in the nineteenth minute when Fiorentina’s Alberto Gilardino appeared to intentionally use his arm to guide the ball past goalkeeper Marco Amelia. This kicked the home team Palermo into action and they went all out onto the attack. This left them vulnerable at the back and Fiorentina scored their second well against the run of play. Gilardino turned provider shortly before the break when he passed to Adrian Mutu who comfortably beat Amelia in the goal.

Palermo once again threw caution to the wind and reduced the deficit with only five minutes of the second period having been played. Fabio Simplico blasted the ball into the net from close range after Miccoli and Cavani had set him up with some neat inter play. Mutu pit the match out of Palermo’s reach in the sixty second minute with a left footed volley. Some excellent saves by Sebastien Frey denied the home side back into the match.