Catania Calcio vs Torino FC - Review and Highlights

CATANIA, November 16 ( Serie A )

Giuseppe Mascara fired a superb hat-trick to give Catania Calcio victory in an entertaining clash with Torino FC at the Stadio Angelo Massimino.

The visitors took a surprise lead after just seven minutes through Riccardo Colombo, but that lead lasted barely a minute before Mascara scored his first of the afternoon.

The 29-year-old then put the home side in front after 39 minutes only for Torino to draw level shortly after the break through Nicola Amoruso's penalty.

The game looked to be heading for a draw until local favourite Mascara, who was born in Sicily, completed his hat-trick with 10 minutes remaining.

The result was somewhat harsh on the visitors, who contributed fully to an open game and were rewarded with an early goal from Colombo, who volleyed home from close range after Matteo Rubin's cross from the left.

They were unable to hold onto the lead for long however, Catania hitting back almost immediately with another left-wing cross doing the damage.

This time it was Michele Paolucci supplying the ball for Mascara to fire home from the penalty spot after eight minutes.

Torino refused to sit back and could have gone back in front after 15 minutes only for Simone Barone to screw his shot badly wide from just inside the area.

Mascara thought he had scored his second just after the half hour mark when he connected well with a header from Gennaro Sardo's cross, but goalkeeper Matteo Sereni - signed on a free transfer from Lazio last year - pulled off a smart save.

It proved only a brief reprieve however as Mascara duly grabbed his second eight minutes later, curling a brilliant free-kick around the wall and beyond Sereni into the bottom corner.

The home fans were celebrating again in first-half injury-time, but their joy was cut short when Gianvito Plasmati's strike was ruled out for offside.

Colombo had been kept largely quiet since opening the scoring but was heavily involved in the build-up to Torino's equaliser just five minutes into the second half.

His weaving run into the box was halted by a foul from Christian Terlizzi and Amoruso scored from the penalty spot to get the visitors back on level terms.

Mascara then unselfishly picked out team-mate Paolucci rather than try to score himself and was left wishing he had gone for goal when Paolucci fired badly wide.

Sardo then headed wide from Rocco Sabato's free-kick as the home side went in search of a winner before Terlizzi made at least partial amends for conceding the penalty with a superb clearance as Barone threatened to score for the visitors.

The winner eventually came 10 minutes from time when Mascara nipped between two static Torino defenders to sidefoot home from close range after great work from Giacomo Tedesco on the left.

Calcio Catania vs Torino FC - 3 : 2

0:1 - 6' Riccardo Colombo
1:1 - 8' Giuseppe Mascara
1:1 - 40' Giuseppe Mascara
2:2 - 50' Nicola Amoruso (Penalty Goal)
3:2 - 80' Giuseppe Mascara