Bari held to a disappointing goalless draw

Bari held to a disappointing goalless draw

Bari's first Serie A game of the season in front of their own fans ended in disappointment as they were held to a goalless draw by Bologna.

Giampiero Ventura's side came closest to breaking the deadlock through Vitali Kutuzov in the second half, but the teams had to settle for a point each to add to the draws they picked up on the opening day of the season last weekend.

The hosts ended the game with 10 men with Ferdinando Sforzini seeing the red card deep into second-half stoppage time.

Over 25,000 fans turned out at the San Nicola to witness Bari's first home game on their return to Serie A after an eight-year absence.

By comparison, just over a year ago Bari were averaging gates of little over 3,000, but the enthusiasm for football is back in the Apulian city, particularly after a 1-1 draw at Inter Milan seven days ago.

And this enthusiasm could be seen on the field too in the early stages of the match as the home side made a bright start.

Daniele De Vezze tested Emiliano Viviano for the first time in the second minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area which the Bologna goalkeeper was able to save low to his left.

However, Bari were unable to keep up this early pressure in hot conditions and in particular on a bone-dry pitch which their coach Ventura on the eve of the game had labelled "unplayable".

Bologna did not seem to be having as many problems coping, though, as they began to take control of the game with Francesco Valiani and Nicola Mingazzini both getting in shots on goal.

Kutuzov, whose goal earned Bari a point at the San Siro last weekend, went close to his second goal of the season on two occasions before Alessandro Gazzi's header sailed just wide of the post from Alessandro Parisi's free-kick in the last minute of the first half.

Bari debutant Ricardo Meggiorini had the first chance of the second period as the hosts started brightly once again, but he was unable to test Viviano with a shot wide of the left-hand post.

The home side really should have gone ahead in the 74th minute when Kutuzov found himself with the whole goal to aim at from Antonio Langella's pass, but he sent his shot over the crossbar when he really should have hit the target.

Bari went close to breaking the deadlock again with two minutes remaining but both Andrea Ranocchia and Leonardo Bonucci failed to hit the target.

Bari were becoming increasingly frustrated with their inability to find the breakthrough and Sforzini was shown a red card as he remonstrated with the referee deep in stoppage time.

That was the referee's last action before he put the whistle to his lips to bring an end to Bari's first Serie A game at the San Nicola in just over eight years.