By Well how about that for a Sunday of football. Bologna beat that purple lot 2-1 after going behind in the second half, thanks to goals from Musa Barrow and Marko Arnautovic. The atmosphere was electric, the temperature was high, and it was all about who wanted it the most.
Having parted ways with Sinisa Mihajlovic earlier in the week, it was Primavera-coach Luca Vigiani who strutted along the touchline for the game, whilst soon to be the new coach, Thiago Motta, was in the stands to witness his new team win the Derby dell’Appennino for the first time since February 2013.
Just let that sink in. Bologna beat them 2-1 on that day too, with the goals coming from Marco Motta and Lazaros Christodoulopoulos. What an incredible fact, I mean, it felt like an eternity since beating them, but still, nine freaking years.
Anyway, there was not much between the two sides before the break, but the purples took the lead after 54 minutes when a cross from their left went all the way to the back post where their central defender was there to pounce.
And that goal did seem to electrify Bologna. With Motta in the stands, all the players seemed to want to impress their new mister, and show him who he should start versus Empoli next weekend. Merely five minutes after going behind, Barrow was played through on goal and the Gambian made no mistakes, and curled the ball past the keeper. The fans were surprised, the players were surprised, everyone were surprised as a player NOT NAMED Marko Arnautovic scored a goal for Bologna.
And the away side did not manage to gather themselves, as, three minutes later, Marko “Main Man” Arnautovic put the ball into the net. After a lengthy VAR-check, the goal actually stood, and Bologna saw out the game with some astute defending and a bit of Gennaro Gattuso-grinta.
WHAT A GAME. After a rough start to the new campaign, having not won a single game, drawing against sides they, if we are being honest, should beat, Bologna finally got the win they wanted.
The team from the other side of the Appenninos have been good for the last couple of years, and I truly expected a difficult match, but Bologna went from it from the start, defended as a unit, and took their chances.
Although Claudio Fenucci confirmed the new coach in his press conference on Saturday, the official announcement is expected later today. Now it is up to new coach Motta to implement his style of playing and to get to know his new players. Having witnessed the game from the stands, he will indeed struggle to find a single player among those that played yesterday that didn’t impress.
Finally another player than Arnautovic scored a goal, and I think Stefan Posch slotted very well into the defence alongside Gary Medel and Jhon Lucumi.
And fingers crossed Arnautovic coming off with an injury isn’t anything serious. After all, he is at the moment the top scorer of Serie A with six goals.
PHOTO: Bologna FC
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