Novara 1-0 Torino

Sometimes football can be a cruel game, and it proved to be once again as Torino fell to a 1-0 defeat to Novara after Agostino Garofalo's freak own goal.

Torino started the game brightly, obviously eager to make amends for last weeks home defeat against Sassuolo.  However, midway through the first half, Novara took the lead totally against the run of play, in bizarre circumstances.  Novara striker Cristian Bertani gathered the ball on the left hand side of Torino’s penalty area and fired a shot that was parried by Rubinho, however the ball ricocheted off the heels of left back Agostino Garofalo and, despite the goalkeepers best efforts it crawled into their net. On reflection, Rubinho should perhaps have prevented the goal, but it was surely the last thing he expected after making the initial save.

Torino could have went further behind, if it wasn’t for the Brazilian shot stopper who made two fantastic saves in quick succession, first from close range after it seemed certain Simone Motta would make it 2-0, then minutes later when he tipped Bertani’s shot over the bar.  Torino started the second half brightly, and Mirco Antenucci was unlucky when his volley hit the post, while Rolando Bianchi had a valid claim for a penalty turned down. Torino’s performance in the second half probably justified a point, but when Antenucci hit the bar in injury time, it was evident that it wasn’t going to be their day.