Bologna hammer Torino in relegation showdown

Rome  - Marco Di Vaio scored a brace for Bologna Saturday as they crushed Torino 5-2 in a pulsating game that left both sides in the lower reaches of the Italian Serie A.

Midfielder Simone Barone and his team mate Ignazio Abate twice put Torino ahead, but the hosts never relented and reversed the score from 2-1 largely thanks to Di Vaio's great form.

Barone, a World Cup winner in 2006, on seven minutes scored his first goal this season firing past Francesco Antonioli as the dithering home defenders failed to clear a cross from the right.

Francesco Valiani tried an immediate reply for Bologna on eight minutes, but had his low shot saved, while Torino striker Rolando Bianchi also saw his close-range effort saved on 12 minutes.

Torino had other chances in the first half when their former defender Salvatore Lanna almost stunned his own goalkeeper with a backward pass and on 45 minutes as a Cesare Natali header forced a difficult save from Antonioli.

Luck lent Bologna a hand as they levelled on 48 minutes through the just fielded Sergio Volpi, whose cross was deflected by a defender and fooled the helpless Matteo Sereni.

A similar action allowed Torino to score their second goal four minutes later as midfielder Abate stormed on the right flank and saw a defender deflect his cross into the goal.

There was hardly time to celebrate before Di Vaio pounced on a loose ball for a close-range winning shot and on 62 minutes burst on the left side of the box to stun Sereni with a low shot by the closest post.

Bologna secured the win on 68 minutes through a controversial spot kick that Marco Bernacci converted after Sereni floored him.

A second penalty converted from Di Vaio and the dismissal of Francesco Pratali closed Torino's disastrous day on 79 minutes.

Di Vaio is now the league's best scorer on 12 goals, level with Argentine Diego Milito of Genoa.

Bologna coach Sinisa Mihajlovic closed a run of five draws since taking over Bologna, while Walter Novellino had a bitter start as he returned to Torino this week.

Torino are in the three-team relegation zone on 12 points from 16 games, while Bologna have two more points.

Napoli are well off in fourth position when they welcome lowly Lecce late Saturday.

In Sunday action, joint-second Juventus and AC Milan play a late big match hoping to remain within six points of leaders Inter Milan, who play an earlier home game to bottom side Chievo. (dpa)

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