Catania win Trofeo Portomasolive.com

Italian Serie A side Catania won the Trofeo Portomasolive.com after defeating Serie B leaders Torino 2-0 in the final of the quadrangular tournament which was played at the National Stadium on Friday.

Following a quiet start for the two teams, Catania went close to taking the lead with an Andrea Catellani effort from the left on 14 minutes which hit the foot of the upright. Two minutes later, Catellani served Mariano Izco whose powerful shot ended wide.

Argentine striker Maxi Lopez, who is currently being linked to a number of other clubs in Italy, finally put Catania ahead on 18 minutes with a low shot from inside the area which beat goalkeeper Davide Morello.

Andrea Catellani was prominent once again for Catania on 31 minutes with a fine rising shot ending just over the bar. On the other side of the pitch, Giuseppe de Feudis hit just wide off a freekick by Manuel Iori on the 40th.

However Mariano Izco sealed the issue with a second goal three minutes from time after entering the area from the right and beating Morello with a powerful rising shot.

TORINO Davide Morello, Angelo Ogbonna, Manuel Iori, Rolando Bianchi, Biagio Pagano (29’ Giuseppe De Feudis), Alessandro Parisi, Mirco Antenucci, Alen Stevenovic, Giuseppe Vives, Kamil Glik, Matteo Darmian.
Coach: Giampiero Ventura

CATANIA Andrea Campagnolo, Alessandro Potenza, Nicola Legrottaglie (31′ Pablo Alvarez), Andrea Catellani (41′ Sergio Gontán Gallardo), Maxi Lopez (31′ Alejandro Gomez), Giovanni Marchese (36′ Ciro Capuano), Mariano Izco, Giuseppe Bellusci, Adrian Ricchuiti (31′ Francesco Sciacca), Marco Biagianti (29’ Francesco Lodi), Gennaro Delvecchio (44′ Alfredo Donnarumma).
Coach: Vincenzo Montella

Referee: Clayton Pisani
Assistant Referees: Mariano Debono, William Debattista
Fourth Official: Adrian Azzopardi
Scorers: 18′ Maxi Lopez, 42′ Mariano Izco

Hibernians placed third after defeating Qormi 2-0 in the final for third and fourth place.

The Paolites took the lead on 17 minutes thanks to Bjorn Kristensen who managed to deflect the ball past goalkeeper Steve Sultana following a shot from outside the area by Caruana.

Four minutes later, Edison Luis dos Santos hit the foot of the upright with a free kick from the left.

Hibernians were awarded a penalty on 29 minutes after Peter Anizoba was brought down inside the area. Clayton Failla made no mistake from the penalty spot.

HIBS Luke Bonnici (33‘ Nicholas Grima), Edward Herrera (28‘ Scott Chircop), Jonathan Pearson, Rodolfo Soares, Marcelo Dias (33‘ Ayrton Azzopardi), Bjorn Kristensen, Clayton Faila (35‘ Johann Bezzina), Alex Pedrosa, Triston Caruana, Ryan Camilleri (44’ Keith Tanti), Edison Luis dos Santos (25’ Peter Anizoba).
Coach: Mark Miller

QORMI Steve Sultana, Roderick Sammut (23’ Luke Sciberras), Carmelo Farrugia, George Chircop, Charlon Sammut, Joseph Chetcuti, Kenneth Scicluna (31‘ Jeffrey Chetcuti), Dino Cachia, Gabriel Buttigieg, Stephen Wellman (23’ Matthew Bartolo), Christian Briffa.
Coach: Edward Micallef

Referee: Alan Mario Sant
Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Chris Francalanza
Fourth Official: Kevin Azzopardi
Scorers: 17‘ Bjorn Kristensen, 29‘ Clayton Failla

Semi-Final 1: Qormi vs Torino 1-3

In the first semi-final, Torino beat Qormi 3-1. The Granata were clearly a better side but the locals were unlucky to hit the crossbar when the score was still 1-0.

The Serie B leaders managed to take the lead on the 7th minutes when Verdi served Mirco Antenucci from the right and the latter hit low past Matthew Farrugia.

Four minutes later, Verdi concluded a good move on the right flank with a fine shot which scraped past the post. On the other side of the pitch, Abubakar Bello Osagie released Jorge Pereira da Silva on the right whose low shot was neutralised by Coppola. Matthew Bartolo was then unlucky to hit the crossbar with a powerful drive from outside the area on 17 minutes.

But a few seconds later, the Granata doubled the score Mirco Antenucci concluded a swift counter-attack with a shot from close range which was blocked but before the ball could end wide, he managed to place the ball at the back of the net.

With a beautiful curved shot from the right, Simone Verdi managed to beat Farrugia to make it 3-0 on 23 minutes.

Three minutes later, Qormi were awarded a penalty which was converted Abubakar Bello-Osagie.

On 29 minutes, referee Kevin Azzopardi awarded Torino a penalty after Ebagua was brought down inside the area by Farrugia. However the Qormi goalkeeper neutralised Antenucci’s effort from the penalty spot.

QORMI Matthew Farrugia, Jeffrey Chetcuti, Roderick Sammut, Matthew Bartolo, Luke Sciberras, Kenneth Scicluna, Federico Mirarchi, Jorge Pereira da Silva, Stuart Duff, Stephen Wellman, Abubakar Bello-Osagie.
Coach: Edward Micallef

TORINO Ferdinando Coppola, Migjen Basha, Mirco Antenucci, Luciano Zavagno, Giulio Ebagua, Kamil Glik (36‘ Marco Chiosa), Giuseppe Pio De Feudis, Matteo Darmian, Franceso Pratali, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Simone Verdi (32‘ Juan Surraco).
Coach: Gianpiero Ventura

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi
Assistant Referees: Alan Camilleri, Chris Francalanza
Fourth Official: Alan Mario Sant
Scorers: 7’ Mirco Antenucci, 17’ Mirco Antenucci, 23’ Simone Verdi, 26’ Abubakar Bello-Osagie (pen)

Semi-Final 2: Hibernians vs. Catania 0-2

In the second semi-final, Hibernians gave a good account of themselves despite losing 0-2 to Catania.

The Paolites had the first attempt at goal on the 3rd minute with a good move by Edison Luis dos Santos but his conclusion missed the target by a whisker. A free kick by Andrew Cohen from the left on 11 minutes ended just over the bar. Tarabai then rounded a number of players before trying his luck with a rising shot which was neutralised by Kosicky.

Catania replied with a Davide Lanzafame effort on 22 minutes which scraped past the post. However five minutes later, Hibs went close once again with a Clayton Failla free kick ended just over the bar.

The rossazzurri finally managed to break the deadlock on 32 minutes thanks to a goal by substitute Alejandro Gomez whose great goal gave goalkeeper Lys Gomis no chance.

Two minutes later, Alfredo Donnarumma doubled the score with a rising shot from outside the area after receiving a perfect pass from the left.

HIBS Lys Gomis, Edward Herrera (41‘ Alex Pedrosa), Aaron Xuereb (35‘ Jonathan Pearson), Steve Pisani, Rodolfo Soares, Marcelo Dias, Andrew Cohen, Bjorn Kristensen, Clayton Failla, Ryan Camilleri, Edison Luis dos Santos.
Coach: Mark Miller

CATANIA Tomas Kosicky (37‘ Pietro Terracciano), Alessandro Potenza (24’ Giovanni Marchese), Mario Paglialunga, Nicola Legrottaglie(25’ Giuseppe Bellusci), Davide Lanzafame, Keko, Gonzalo Bergessio (31‘ Alejandro Gomez), Francesco Sciacca (30’ Marco Biagianti), Pablo Alvarez, Pablo Barrientos(30’ Alfredo Donnarumma), Ciro Capuano.
Coach: Vincenzo Montella

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi
Assistant Referees: Mariano Debono, William Debattista
Fourth Official: Clayton Pisani
Scorers: 32‘ Alejandro Gomez, 34‘ Alfredo Donnarumma