Who’d have thought it!
Salernitana, rock bottom of Serie A and without a win all season, producing a shock comeback to claim their first victory of the campaign – and all against one of the top flight’s established big boys.
The scriptwriters and the SBOTOP Serie A betting odds virtually all expected it to go one way and one way only after a landmark penalty from Ciro Immobile.
But then came Grigoris Kastanos and Antonio Candreva to stun the club from the capital who find themselves in mid-table with manager Maurizio Sarri under increased pressure.
Lazio took the lead just before the break when Immobile sent Benoit Costil the wrong way from the penalty spot for what was his 100th away goal in Serie A, becoming the first ever player to achieve that feat.
The Serie A highlights all belonged to the home side after the interval though.
After an Antonio Candreva header was parried, Kastanos reacted quicker than anyone else to turn in the rebound.
Then Candreva fired in a screamer from distance which swerved a little mid-air in windy conditions, but perhaps not enough to surprise goalkeeper Ivan Provedel as much as it did when flying under the crossbar.
This victory not only lofted morale but pushes Salernitana within a more manageable distance of their fellow strugglers.
As for Lazio, who have suffered six league defeats so far this term, it left Sarri facing questions about his future and the side in need of a quick to return to winning ways in Europe on Tuesday night.
The Aquile are stuttering in the Champions League but still in with a chance of qualifying for the knockout rounds following two wins, a draw and defeat to Feyenoord.
Champions Napoli bounced back from a surprise defeat to lowly Empoli by edging to victory at Atalanta to keep ahead of their opponents in fourth spot.
With only one point separating the sides going into the clash, new manager Walter Mazzarri marked his first game in charge with victory thanks to Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Eljif Elmas goals, along with an assist from the returning Victor Osimhen.
What a boon the Nigerian’s return to action could be!
It had been over a decade since Mazzarri last sat on the Partenopei bench, but he was brought in during the break for international duty to replace the sacked Rudi Garcia.
The urgency to turnaround their league season was clear and they got their rewards as Kvaratskhelia nodded home from close range.
One-time Everton man Ademola Lookman equalised with a towering header into the bottom corner but then it was time for Osimhen to enter the fray.
Six weeks after suffering a thigh strain on international duty with Nigeria, he came on without his trademark protective mask for the first time since January
2022 and, once into the action, unselfishly rolled the ball across for unmarked and fellow substitute Elmas to turn home from six yards for what proved to be the winner.
History was made at the San Siro on Saturday night as Francesco Camarda became the youngest player in Serie A, aged 15 years and 260 days.
The striker came on as a substitute for AC Milan in their 1-0 win over Fiorentina, secured through a first half stoppage time Theo Hernandez penalty.
Manager Stefano Piloi joked he was old enough to be Camarda’s granddad, although presumably would not have been in quite such high spirits but for a last-gasp stoppage time save from the face of Mike Maignan to keep out Rolando Mandragora.
Incidentally, the previous youngest debutant was Bologna’s Wisdom Amey, who was 15 years and 274 days old when he made his first appearance in 2021.
The big match of the weekend was always going to be Sunday evening’s encounter – the Derby d’Italia, a showdown between the top two in Turin.
Two strikers made their mark in more ways that one.
After opening the scoring converting a Federico Chiesa pass, Dusan Vlahovic pointed out the name on the back of the shirt before cupping his ears, referring to the amount of criticism he has received this season.
Within six minutes, Lautaro Martinez had netted his 13th of the campaign and voiced his feelings towards Juventus’ Curva Sud while the fans shouted ‘scemo, scemo’, (which translates as ‘fool’ in English to show there truly is no love lost between these two clubs.
There was little between them on the pitch too in this one or, indeed, at the top of the table which remains at two points.
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