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Serie A
Dec 14, 2013 at 7.45pm UK
 
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Live Commentary: Catania 0-0 Hellas Verona - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's text commentary of the goalless draw between Catania and Hellas Verona at the Stadio Angelo Massimino.
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Catania and Hellas Verona met in their Serie A match at the Stadio Angelo Massimino.

The home side went into the game bottom of the table and in desperate need of the three points.

In a game of few chances Catania dominated, but were unable to find the breakthrough, and it finished goalless.

Read how the action unfolded below.


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Good evening and thank you for joining Sports Mole for live text commentary of the Serie A meeting between Catania and Hellas Verona at the Stadio Angelo Massimino.

Today's game pits Serie A's bottom club against surprise package Verona, who are sixth in the table, having been promoted to the top flight last season.

CATANIA XI: Frison, Peruzzi, Spolli, Legrottaglie, Alvarez, Plasil, Izco, Guarente, Castro, Leto, Barrientos

VERONA XI: Rafael, Cacciatore, Moras, Maietta, Agostini, Romulo, Donati, Halfredsson, Iturbe, Toni, Gomez

CATANIA SUBS: Andujar, Ficara, Capuano, Rolin, Gyomber, Monzon, Tachtsidis, Freire, Keko, Bergessio, Petkovic, Boateng

VERONA SUBS: Mihaylov, Albertazzi, Bianchetti, Marques, Donadel, Laner, Longo, Cacia, Martinho

Both teams come into this game in poor league form. Catania have lost their last three games in Serie A, and are three points adrift at the bottom of the table with nine points collected from their 15 league games. They have only won twice all season, with both of those victories coming at home against Chievo and Udinese.

Verona enjoyed a fine start to the season that saw them beat AC Milan on the opening day, but they had lost three games in succession, before last weekend's home win over Atalanta. It is their home form that has seen them pick up so many points, having won seven of their eight games at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi. Their away form on the other hand has been poor, with five defeats from seven on the road.

PREDICTION: If Catania want to avoid being cut adrift at the bottom of the table, then they must get a positive result this evening. It will be hard for them against a team who has scored plenty of goals this season, and they can take advantage of Verona's poor away form. I think this will be a tough fought game, and I see it finishing in a 1-1 draw.

Catania are Serie A's lowest scoring side, having found the back of the net just 10 times this season. Defensively, they haven't been too bad at home, conceding seven goals, but their record of 21 away goals against is the worst in the league.

We're not too far away from kickoff now, and the players are starting to make their way out of the tunnel.

KICKOFF! We are underway at the Stadio Angelo Massimino.

Catania have started the game well and are putting good pressure on their opponents. They have won successive corners and are looking to assert their early dominance.

CHANCE! Izco picks up the ball 25 yards out from goal and lashes in a strike that Rafael does well to palm over the bar.

It's been a really positive start by the hosts, who have pegged Verona back deep inside their half. Leto does well to burst past a couple of challenges, and wins a free kick just outside of the box.

Barrientos takes the free kick, but he hammers it straight into the wall, and the visitors are able to clear the danger.

Verona come forward and Iturbe shows some neat touches to get into the box. He goes down under pressure, but the referee is not interested. He seemed to lose his footing, and in fairness, he didn't appeal for a penalty.

Plasil latches onto a loose ball just outside the box and has a swing, but his connection with it isn't great, and his scuffed shot trickles wide of the post.

The visitors break down the right hand side and Romulo fires in a cross, that the keeper comes out for and punches back into trouble. Luckily for Catania, only Toni was in the box, and they are able to clear.

Leto shows some neat touches by the byline and wins a corner kick for the home side. They have had a lot of set pieces already and will hope to make at least one count.

The corner isn't the best and is headed clear to Guarente outside of the area. He attempts a first time volley, but it is horribly miscued and flies over the bar.

CHANCE! Catania should be ahead! Leto latches onto a long ball and forces a brilliant save from Rafael. The keeper can only palm it out to Barrientos, who somehow fires it wide from just a few yards out.

The home side will be pleased at the start they have made, and the Verona players are showing signs of frustration at not seeing too much of the ball.

Guarente hasn't quite found his shooting boots yet, as his second attempt from long range is hammered high over the bar.

Castro is next to try his luck for Catania after a fine solo run through the heart of midfield, however his attempt on goal is hit straight at the keeper.

Verona just can't get the ball out of their own half, as Catania have them pegged back, and are looking for gaps in the defence to slide in their forwards.

The way Catania are playing, you would not believe they are bottom of the league. Their passing has been crisp and their front players have shown some smart touches in the final third. The only thing missing from their performance has been a goal.

CHANCE! Verona keeper Rafael has kept his side in this game, as he pulls off a fantastic save to deny Alvarez's headed effort from close range.

Alvarez does brilliantly to get to the byline down the left hand side and flights in a cross, that the keeper does well to punch away under intense pressure.

Verona start to see a bit more of the ball and Romulo gets forward down the left, before delivering a cross that the defence manage to clear.

Quite a few passes have gone astray from both teams in the past few minutes, and you have a feeling that they are both fine to head into the goalless break level.

CHANCE! After barely threatening for the entire half, Verona should be ahead. The ball is worked brilliantly between their front three, and it is played to Romulo, who is unmarked at the back post, but he fires his effort wide under no pressure.

HALF TIME: Catania 0-0 Hellas Verona

It is goalless at half time between Catania and Verona, and the home side will be slightly disappointed that they have not taken the lead. They have dominated the possession and created better chances than their opponents, but could be made to rue their misses in the second half.

The hosts really could do with a win tonight, as they are currently three points behind Bologna and in real danger of being cut adrift. Verona will also be keen to claim three points tonight, as they will move up to fifth in the table, and level on points with Inter Milan.

Despite being bottom of the league, Catania have played well this evening, but certainly lack a cutting edge in the final third. Verona haven't shown why they are so high in the league, as they are looking to play on the counter attack, which so far, has been ineffective.

Catania kick off the second half and get the game back underway.

The away side start the half by showing some attacking intent. Iturbe makes a great run down the right hand side and pulls the ball back across the box, but there are enough Catania players back to deal with the threat.

We have seen quite a few late challenges at the start of the half, and Toni has been guilty of a couple of those fouls.

CHANCE! Verona do well to get the ball down the line to Iturbe, who whips a cross into the middle that is headed clear. It lands to Halfredsson, who hammers a strike just over the bar from 25 yards out.

YELLOW CARD! Izco is the first player to pick up a booking after a high challenge.

Izco and Moras get involved in a tussle by the centre circle and the referee is quick to rush in and intervene. There didn't seem to much in that, and the heated exchange is quickly defused.

This game has become really scrappy, with a lot of fouls stopping it from flowing. The referee has done well to show only one booking, but he could easily have put some more names into his notebook.

Iturbe is Verona's brightest spark this evening, and again he gets to the byline before delivering a cross, but it is slightly behind Toni, who can't engineer enough power on his header to trouble the keeper.

Barrientos gives the visitors some worrying moments inside their penalty area after evading a couple of challenges, before seeing his effort on goal blocked.

Catania are starting to push up the gears, and the ball is slipped to Castro just inside the box, who sees his effort cannon of the covering defenders.

Castro has wasted a huge chance to trouble the away side, as he does brilliantly to get to the byline, but his cross is over hit and goes out of play.

SUBSTITUTION: Verona make the first change of the evening, by bringing on Donadel for Gomez.

Castro is again involved for the hosts when he picks up the ball in the centre of the midfield, before bursting forward and unleashing a strike, that fails to trouble the keeper and flies over the bar.

YELLOW CARD! Toni picks up a booking for a late tackle.

CHANCE! Verona hit the home side on the counter attack and the ball is played wide to Iturbe on the left hand side. He drives towards goal, and fires in a strike, but it drifts just wide of the far post.

SUBSTITUTION: The home side have made a change, with Bergessio replacing Leto.

CHANCE! Catania manage to put some pressure on their opponents and a long ball into the box eventually falls to Spolli. He fires in a strike across goal, but Rafael does well to push it away from danger.

Following that last Catania attack, Moras has gone down injured, and it doesn't look like he will be able to continue.

SUBSTITUTION: Moras is indeed replaced and Martinho comes on.

Toni barges his way past three Catania defenders, but none of his teammates are in the box to get on the end of his cross from the byline, and it is gathered by the keeper.

SUBSTITUTION: The home side change things around, with Barrientos heading off to be replaced by Keko.

There is no sign that either team are willing to commit everyone forward in order to get the breakthrough. They both seem content to take away a point from this encounter, but you sense the hosts desperately need all three.

CHANCE! Spolli shows great adventure by running from inside his own half to the edge of the Verona area, before laying the ball off to Izco. The midfielder gets the ball out of his feet and fires in a strike that the keeper does well to keep out.

Iturbe goes straight down the other end and almost manages to get a shot on goal, but Frison is out quickly and gets down low to stop his run.

SUBSTITUTION: Catania make their final change, as Monzon replaces Peruzzi.

We are going to have five minutes of time added on.

Catania win a corner after Keko's cross is blocked, but from the resulting delivery Spolli fouls his man and the danger is gone.

YELLOW CARD! Spolli picks up a booking for his troubles.

Romulo bursts into the box and plays the ball across looking for Toni, but Spolli makes a last ditch challenge to put it out for a corner kick.

CHANCE! Verona nearly win it at the very end! The corner is whipped in and Toni gets his head to the ball, but it is cleared off the line.

FULL TIME: Catania 0-0 Hellas Verona

The game is over and it has finished in a goalless draw. It was a game of few chances and neither side deserved to claim the win. Catania stay bottom of the league, but at least ended their run of three successive defeats. Verona will be glad to have achieved a point away from home and stay sixth in the table.

That's all we've got time for here. Please stay with us at Sports Mole for all the results from this weekend's games, and the latest news. Have a great weekend, goodnight!

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Mario Balotelli of Milan scores his team's second goal during the Serie A match between Calcio Catania and AC Milan at Stadio Angelo Massimino on December 1, 2013
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