#marco benassi

Round 10 - October 27, 2018

“He can only score off the bench,” they said. “He’s too young to make an impact from the start,” argued others. “He can’t play in a front 2,” insisted the experts. They were all wrong. With a scoring ratio that dwarfs that of Higuain, Patrick Cutrone was on target once again, opening the scoring to get Milan back on track.

Patrick Cutrone takes the ball and threatens not to give it back unless guaranteed a starting spot for both Milan and Italy. - Image courtesy of Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

First, he punished the usually frugal Sampdoria defence to header the rossoneri into the lead when they allowed some space in the box, then he linked up perfectly with Higuain for the Argentinean to level at 2-2 after Saponara and Quagliarella had tormented the Milan backline to put the blucerchiati ahead.

Calabria was having a torrid time as the scintillating Samp duo reciprocated assists for each other. Quagliarella was sensational when he controlled and turned in one move, taking 2 Milan players out of the game to counter and cross for Ricky Saponara. The former Milan man controlled brilliantly, shimmied past Calabria and slotted a low finish into the right corner. 

Saponara then turned and lofted a luscious ball over the defence for Quagliarella to volley in first time. Spaniard Suso eventually got the winner in a sensational match. Romagnoli did much better than his defensive teammates, while on the opposite side Audero let in 3 after only shipping 4 in the opening 9 rounds. 

Atalanta’s Under 21 international, Gianluca Mancini, had an eventful day at home to Parma, scoring one and assisting another in the comfortable 3-0 win. Juventus continue their march to what already is looking like an inevitable title. Bernardeschi had a quiet game after his strong start to the season. De Sciglio and Bonucci started and fared well, while Rugani came off the bench against his former club Empoli in the 1-2 away win.

Torino and Fiorentina exchanged a point each in their 1-1 draw. Benassi’s prolific season continued against his former club after a Chiesa cross fell nicely for the midfielder. The viola winger was lively as usual, often taking on his man and creating menace around the Toro which was once again well-guarded by Sirigu. Of the other Italians on show, Belotti and Baselli did better than Zaza and Biraghi; Soriano and Parigini were added too late to be judged.

Bologna surprisingly got a 2-2 draw at plucky Sassuolo with a good performance from Riccardo Orsolini. Domenico Berardi always looked to threaten the Felsinei defence, while Di Francesco spurned a glorious chance in the first half. Stefano Sensi orchestrated the midfield in De Zerbi’s exciting 4-3-3, but it wasn’t enough to get a win.

Leo Pavoletti’s golden head gave Cagliari the lead and laid off the second against arguably Italy’s most disliked team; a Ventura managed Chievo side. Cragno and Barella were the Azzurri representatives for the Isolani. Under 21 international Depaoli was promising for Chievo, with an effort just wide in the first half and an assist for Stepinski to pull one back, but it wasn’t enough to stop Cagliari grabbing 3 points.

Elsewhere, Kevin Lasagna got the goal to earn Udinese a point in their 2-2 tie away at Genoa. Frosinone surprisingly cruised to a 0-3 win away at SPAL, with the young Cassata crossing for 19yo Andrea Pinamonti to clip a lovely half-volley into the top corner to round off the victory.