Ochoa stands tall to help Salernitana snatch a point from Torino
Early assaults showed signs of promise for the visitors, who came excruciatingly close to taking the lead – not once but twice – within the first quarter-hour. However, Guillermo Ochoa’s lightning reflexes came into action, as he first denied David Zima’s point-blank backheel before keeping a powerful shot by Nemanja Radonjić at bay with his left foot. A low drive by Nikola Vlašić was then left hanging by the Mexican keeper, who rallied his teammates to push forward in a bid to reverse the tide.
Led by veteran midfielder Antonio Candreva, Salernitana tried hitting the dominant visitors on the counter, but were largely left frustrated by their inability to pick the right passes. The hosts’ inefficiency was made to pay dearly by Antonio Sanabria’s exquisite diving header in the 36th minute following a lovely cross – making it a fifth straight game in which Salernitana conceded at least once inside the opening 40 minutes. Davide Nicola’s men were fortunate enough not to go two or even three down before the break, thanks to Ochoa and the right post that denied Perr Schuurs’ rising header on the verge of HT.
The home side didn’t have to wait long to equalise though, cashing in on the brilliance of Tonny Vilhena’s low left-footed strike from outside the box right after the restart, which left Vanja Milinković-Savić seemingly helpless. Toro found themselves on the back foot almost immediately, encountering a barrage of Granata attacks, the closest of which saw an edge-of-the-box Krzysztof Piątek shot sail wide of the left post.
Both sides continued sparring in an attempt to find a winner, but ultimately ended up sharing a point apiece for the first time ever in the top flight. Torino will head back north disappointed after giving away their lead – a ninth straight game without a clean sheet. Whereas, the Campania side, backed by their veteran keeper, put a stop to their three-match losing streak, as they seek a third straight top-flight season stay since gaining Serie B promotion.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Guillermo Ochoa (US Salernitana 1919)
