4/9/2006
Sporting Life

Treviso were finally consigned to the drop as Messina breathed new life into their bid to stay in Italy's top flight with a vital win at the Stadio San Filippo on Sunday.

It was always going to be a matter of when, rather than if, Treviso would be relegated as they entered the clash 16 points adrift of safety.

And in the end, their limp surrender against a struggling Messina side who had only won one of their last 10 league fixtures summed up their campaign.

The visitors had done well to hit back almost immediately after conceding an early goal, Dino Fava Passaro's 14th-minute strike cancelling out Sergio Floccari's opener which had come a minute earlier.

But goalscoring has been Treviso's problem all season and they were unable to unlock Messina's defence in the remaining 76 minutes.

The death knell was sounded for Treviso when Giuseppe Sculli made it 2-1 in the 70th minute and their fate was sealed two minutes later when Arturo Di Napoli added a third for the hosts.

The northern Italians now have five games to secure a modicum of respectability to their league campaign – they have won just two of their 33 league matches and have picked up a paltry total of 16 points so far – as they start to plan for life in Serie B.

Messina, meanwhile, are now just two points behind fourth-bottom Cagliari as they look to secure their top-flight status.

The opening exchanges saw both sides struggle to get the ball down and create opportunities, and it came as something of a surprise when Messina went ahead following the game's first real chance.

Good work on the left allowed Sculli to scamper free and his perfect cross was met by the head of Floccari, who directed the ball into the corner.

Fava's equaliser came just 60 seconds later when he struck a fierce right-foot shot which flew into the net.

Treviso goalkeeper Adriano Zancope produced a sunning double save to defy first Floccari and then Di Napoli in the 27th minute while at the other end, Messina shot-stopper Marco Storari had to be alert to keep out Fava's powerful effort.

Sculli had two more opportunities in the final eight minutes of the first half but he could not find a way past Zancope.

The home side came close to retaking the lead five minutes after the break when Di Napoli hit the post with a superb, curling free-kick.

And the woodwork was struck at the other end in the 57th minute when Francesco Parravicini crashed a set-piece against the bar from distance.

Sculli was causing all sorts of danger for the Treviso defence and after he drew another fine save out of Zancope, the striker saw his strong drive find the back of the net in the 70th minute.

Di Napoli's goal moments later then put the game out of the visitors' reach.