2/27/2006
Sporting Life

Substitute Alfredo Cariello scored an impressive last-gasp winner to earn Ascoli all three points against Messina on Sunday.

With the game having reached injury-time with nothing to separate the sides, Cariello broke through the Messina defence before leaving visiting goalkeeper Marco Storari with little chance to save with a clinical left-footed finish.

Cariello's goal capped an improved second-half display by an Ascoli side that had been forced onto the back foot by their opponents for large parts of the opening period.

The visitors, who held leaders Juventus to a 2-2 draw in their last game, started well and went close through Antonio Nocerino in the 10th minute, his powerful shot flying just over the goal.

Ascoli responded with an effort from Fabio Quagliarella that brought a save out of Storari before Messina came within inches of taking the lead in the 28th minute.

Massimo Donati looked to have done everything right with a superb right-footed effort but his shot crashed against the top of the post before rebounding away to safety.

The home side came more into the match in the final 15 minutes of the first half and Sasa Bjelanovic had two chances to net the opener for his side.

However, he could not keep his header down with his first chance and then, just before the break, he was denied by a comfortable save from Storari following another header.

Ascoli carried that improvement on into the second half and Quagliarella wasted a chance to give his side the lead in the 50th minute when he latched onto a pass from Pasquale Foggia but could not direct his finish on target.

The hosts continued to create the better of the chances as the match wore on and Bjelanovic saw another header fly just over before Quagliarella was denied by Storari after opting to shoot instead of passing to team-mate Michele Fini.

Although Ascoli looked to be in control, Messina were not without chances of their own and Sergio Floccari really should have done better with a header that he put wide following a cross from Arturo Di Napoli.

The visitors also hit the woodwork again with eight minutes remaining through replacement Roberto Nanni, although the goal would not have stood as the referee had already whistled for a foul.

That looked like being the final chance of the game but there was one last twist in the tale as Cariello, who had replaced Quagliarella in the 62nd minute, popped up right at the end to earn his side the spoils.

Ascoli's next match takes them to Udinese while relegation-threatened Messina must try and bounce back against fellow strugglers Parma.