Torino hit 61-year-old low in Serie A but Andrea Belotti scores 100th goal

While skipper Andrea Belotti struck his 100th goal for Torino, the club were pushed to second-last in the Serie A table with a 3-2 defeat against Udinese on Saturday, AFP reported.

With that loss, Torino matched their worst run of eight consecutive league defeats at home in Serie A, last achieved in 1959.

“Despite defeats in previous matches ‘Toro’ had always had good performances. I can’t say the same today,” said coach Marco Giampaolo, who took over in August, having been sacked by AC Milan after just seven games last season.

Belotti has accounted for eight of his struggling side’s 19 goals this season as they have garnered only six points from 11 games.

The Italian striker had rallied his side around for a pep talk at half-time, with coach Marco Giampaolo making a triple substitution.

And Torino sparked to life after an hour managing to fight back from two goals down against their midtable rivals.

Argentine winger Ignacio Pussetto put the visitors ahead on 24 minutes, after Udinese’s Brazilian midfielder Walace dispossessed Soualiho Meite, with play waving on despite protests of a foul from the home side.

Gerard Deulofeu sent the ball through for Pussetto, 24, to break through for a solo run to beat an outrushing Salvatore Sirigu in the Torino goal.

Rodrigo De Paul added a second for the visitors from the edge of the box nine minutes after the break, before Belotti reignited Torino hopes.

The 26-year-old picked up a Federico Bonazzoli cross on 66 minutes to finish off and repaid the favour with a back-heel kick allowing the Italian striker to get his first Serie A goal for Torino.

However Udinese restored their advantage two minutes later with substitute Ilija Nestorovski finishing off a Roberto Pereyra cross.

Ricardo Rodriguez missed the chance to salvage a point five minutes from time rattling the post.

Torino slump to second bottom, just one point ahead of Crotone who earlier got their first win of the season 4-1 over Spezia.

Four of the goals in the game between the promoted teams were scored by Brazilians.

Brazilian forward Messias struck after seven minutes, adding a second deep into injury time for the southerners.

Brazilian Diego Farias pulled Spezia level after quarter of an hour after intercepting a poor Niccolo Zanellato pass as Crotone tried to play out of their own penalty area.

Polish defender Arkadiusz Reca and Brazilian Eduardo Henrique added two more for the hosts within ten minutes after the break.

Messias completed the rout in the final minute, picking up a cross from Nigerian Simy to slot in from an angle for the club’s 10th goal this season.

Crotone finally earned their first victory after a run of eight defeats and two draws. They had not scored in their last four Serie A games.

Crotone remain bottom with five points from 11 games. Spezia are 16th.

All players in Italy took to the pitch wearing black armbands in memory of 1982 World Cup winner Paolo Rossi who died on Wednesday, aged 64.

A minute’s silence was observed before kick-offs with Rossi’s photo projected on big screens, followed by an audio recalling the exploits of a player who won the Ballon d’Or thanks to his six goals in Spain.