Fabrizio Miccoli was becoming a forgotten man. That is, until he scored a sensational, long-range goal on Sunday.
The Palermo striker’s stunning volley completed a hat-trick and showed why he is a cult hero in at least two countries.
Miccoli capped an eventful day with an 82nd minute goal that made headlines around the world. As a loose ball fell to him, the 33-year-old swivelled and shot the ball from 40 yards out.
The audacious effort caught Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino off his line, and he could only wave at it as it sailed into the goal.
Miccoli, Palermo’s captain, hadn’t scored in nearly six weeks. That dry spell coincided with his team’s poor start to the season, which cost former manager Giuseppe Sannino his job after just three games.
Gian Piero Gasperini took over as Palermo manager on Sept. 16. He had been unable to call on Miccoli for two games last week because the striker suffered a calf injury. The man Palermo fans call “Romario del Salento” showed his new boss how things work in Sicily: Start Miccoli and watch the magic happen.
Thumbnail photo via Flickr/Staff RosaneroinWeb
