Balotelli’s Opener, End 3-1 Against Bolonga
Teenage forward Mario Balotelli responded to flak from coach Jose Mourinho by scoring to help Serie A leaders Inter Milan to a 3-1 win at Bologna on Saturday.
Balotelli, who was replaced by Samuel Eto’o at half-time, headed in a corner in the 42nd minute after Bologna’s Marcelo Zalayeta had cancelled out Diego Milito’s opener for the champions.
Esteban Cambiasso drove home a diagonal strike in the 72nd to seal a win that gives Inter 32 points from 13 games, eight points more than second-placed Juventus, who can cut the deficit back down to five by beating Udinese at home on Sunday.
Balotelli has been criticised several times recently for his attitude by Mourinho, who gave the 19-year-old a mark of “close to zero” for his performance in Inter’s 1-1 draw with AS Roma before the international break.
“We won well, without any problems, we deserved it,” Mourinho told Sky. “Mario had a normal first half. He missed one chance but he scored another,” he said, adding that he brought him off to avoid the risk of a red card after he was booked. One Inter player who didn’t escape dismissal was full-back Maicon. He was sent off in stoppage time, apparently for dissent.
Later on Saturday, promoted Parma moved up to third with 23 points courtesy of a breathtaking 3-2 victory at Fiorentina. Alberto Gilardino put the home side ahead in the 25th minute but goals from Nicola Amoruso and Valeri Bojinov turned the game around.
Gilardino’s second with just over an hour gone brought Fiorentina level again and they appeared to be in the ascendancy until Davide Lanzafame struck the winner on the break for Parma in the 67th minute. And to make matters worse for Fiorentina, they lost Marco Donadel to a second yellow card as time ran out.
SoccerNet…
