Veteran Verona striker Luca Toni strengthened his FIFA
World Cup claims by scoring the only goal against Chievo in the Derby della
Scala.
Toni fired the ball home from close range after 65
minutes, giving Verona victory at Stadio Marc' Antonio Bentegodi, which they
share with Chievo.
The goal took the Italian's tally to 16 in Serie A this
term - a new record for a Verona player in a single season - and he sits third
in the league's scoring charts, two behind Juventus' Carlos Tevez and one shy
of Torino forward Ciro Immobile.
Chievo impressed in the first 20 minutes and forced
Rafael into a number of saves, but Verona came to life thereafter.
Juan Iturbe, the diminutive 20-year-old Argentinian on
loan from Porto and reportedly interesting Liverpool, tormented Chievo with a
couple of dazzling dribbles and forced Michael Agazzi into two smart saves.
However, it was Toni, 36, who settled the match.
Victory moved Verona to within one point of Parma, who
hold the last Europa League qualifying spot, while Chievo remain two points
above the relegation zone.
Mauro Icardi also boosted his chance of going to Brazil
2014 with a brace for Inter Milan, but Diego Milito's late penalty miss meant
their under-fire coach Walter Mazzarri had to settle for a 2-2 draw at home to
Bologna.
Icardi, who is hoping to make Argentina's World Cup
squad, twice put the three-time European champions ahead – a predatory early
goal preceding a superb curler from the edge of the box – but Michele Pazienza
and Panagiotis Kone both pounced on rebounds to score equalisers at San Siro.
Inter had a glorious late chance to win it when Rodrigo
Palacio won a penalty, but substitute Milito failed to beat Gianluca Curci,
leaving Mazzarri's men without a victory in four outings.
Inter remain fifth, two points behind fourth-placed
Fiorentina and only three above Parma, who have a game in hand.
Culled from Soccerway
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