STADIO ENNIO TARDINI (Parma) – A stoppage-time header from Alberto Grassi saw Parma escape with a point at home to Brescia on Sunday afternoon.
Mario Balotelli had come off the bench to open the scoring late on himself but with the Rondinelle just moments away from making it three wins in four games since Eugenio Corini’s return to the bench until Grassi arrived even later.
The hosts had the better of the first half, but Brescia battled their way into the game after the break and were within touching distance of all three points until being thwarted by Grassi’s 92nd-minute leveller.
Jesse Joronen was alert in the first half and he had to be to keep Parma out. First he denied Gervinho a first goal at the Tardini since March before staying up well to parry a close-range Dejan Kulusevski effort.
Alfredo Donnarumma had the biggest chance for an opener though. Riccardo Gagliolo underhit a backpass to Luigi Sepe that the No.9 intercepted. Having rounded the Crociati goalkeeper, he had an open goal at his mercy but somehow sent his shot wide.
Hernani and Kulusevski came next with the hosts’ latest efforts but the Brazilian’s dragged just wide and the Swede’s flew narrowly over, before Bruno Alves also sent a freekick just too high to trouble Joronen.
Brescia edged it a little more after the break. Sepe was on hand to deny the visitors through Ernesto Torregrossa and Mario Balotelli.
Those two combined for the opener. Torregrossa shot from the edge of the area and his effort deflected into Balotelli’s path, allowing him to extend his impressive run against the Gialloblu and beat Sepe from close range.
Antonino Barilla header over from close range after a well-worked freekick made its way into the box moments later and Juraj Kucka headed off target as well.
Kulusevski almost picked out the top corner in the 90th minute but his curler went inches over.
He did make amends two minutes later though with a pinpoint delivery onto Grassi’s head and the No.8 rose and found the top corner with an excellent header to earn a point for Parma.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com