HT:0-0
End to end action. Great stuff so far.
Palermo 0 - 0 Napoli Half-Time
Stadio Barbera
Somehow after 45 minutes it's still 0-0, as Palermo and Napoli have rattled the woodwork twice and forced a series of incredible saves in a very entertaining game.
The two biggest clubs in the South came face to face in an early challenge for a place in Europe. The Rosanero had drawn their last five on the trot and only won at the Stadio Barbera once this season, but also had to do without Fabrizio Miccoli, Mark Bresciano, Giulio Migliaccio and suspended duo Amauri and Roberto Guana.
Alberto 'Jimmy' Fontana ran a real risk early on when he rushed out to grab a wayward clearance and caught the ball only just inside his own penalty area. Fontana performed an absolutely stunning save moments later, as he got down to fingertip Ezequiel Lavezzi's low drive out of the bottom near corner from point-blank range.
Giuseppe Biava had a strong penalty shout for Paolo Cannavaro's embrace in the box, then Gennaro Iezzo smothered a powerful snapshot from Edison Cavani.
At the other end Marek Hamsik ran on to a defensive error and smacked his strike just over the bar.
Palermo should have scored two or three goals in the same move, but couldn't get any of them in, the most obvious a Tedesco diving header from six yards that cracked against the upright.
The Rosanero hit the post 120 seconds later, as Franco Brienza unleashed a swerving left-foot snapshot that shook the same upright!
Matteo Contini limped off with an ankle problem to make way for Ruben Maldonado, while Marcelo Zalayeta and Fabio Simplicio really should have done better from a header and volley. Brienza's free kick was just over, but Napoli staged a siege on the Sicilian net with Fontana parrying Lavezzi's effort with his legs.
Moments later it was the Napoli goalkeeper who had to get down very quickly at full stretch to palm a Brienza strike round the base of the upright. It was spectacular end-to-end stuff in these final minutes of the first half, as in the same move Cavani and Brienza both tripped with the goal gaping and then Walter Gargano's counter was closed down in the area. Mariano Bogliacino also drilled over from distance.
Palermo: Fontana; Zaccardo, Biava, Barzagli, Capuano; Diana, Tedesco, Simplicio, Caserta; Brienza, Cavani
Napoli: Iezzo; Contini (Maldonado 23), Cannavaro, Domizzi; Garics, Hamsik, Gargano, Bogliacino, Savini; Lavezzi, Zalayeta
Ref: Rosetti