Bologna’s change of coach did not yet bring the first league win the club had been seeking. Raffaele Palladino began his spell after Domenico Tedesco’s dismissal with a 1-1 draw against Torino at the Dall’Ara on Saturday 19 September, a result shaped by Federico Bernardeschi’s early finish and a late Torino response from Kulenovic.
Key takeaways
- Bologna remain without a Serie A victory after five rounds, with two draws and three defeats.
- Bernardeschi put the home side ahead in the 14th minute after a move started by Nicolò Cambiaghi.
- Kulenovic levelled in the 77th minute, with Lukasz Skorupski unable to keep out his shot from the edge of the area.
- Torino move to four points, all collected away from home, while Bologna have two.
- Ignazio Abate’s side had arrived in Emilia-Romagna after defeat to Roma, their third loss of the season.
A promising start fades for Palladino’s Bologna
Palladino selected a 3-4-2-1 for his first afternoon in charge, with Bernardeschi and Cambiaghi operating behind Roberto Piccoli. Dovbyk was his only unavailable player. Cambiaghi had recently been called into Roberto Mancini’s new Italy squad.
Torino had the longer injury list. Che Adams, Casadei, goalkeeper Israel and the long-term absentee Pellegri were all missing. Abate used a 4-2-3-1, entrusting the midfield direction to Mandragora, another player selected for Italy ahead of the forthcoming Nations League fixtures.
The visitors made the sharper opening. Fitz-Jim tested Skorupski after four minutes, then Simeone sent an effort into the side netting two minutes later. Bologna nevertheless struck with their first real opening. Cambiaghi won possession, Miranda was released on the left, and his delivery found Bernardeschi, who controlled before driving a left-footed effort beyond the Torino goalkeeper.
Mandragora tried to pull Torino level almost immediately, first going close from a free-kick and later forcing Skorupski into another save before the interval. Bologna had an opportunity to establish a two-goal margin in the 34th minute, but Pobega delayed his finish and Fitz-Jim recovered to stop him.
Torino find a route back
Torino introduced Scotland’s Patterson for Fortini at half-time, but Mandragora remained their principal threat, testing Skorupski again from a set piece in the 50th minute. Bologna then had space to break when Piccoli carried the attack forward, although Miranda could not find the return pass.
Kulenovic replaced Fitz-Jim in the 55th minute, while Bologna responded three minutes later by sending on Odgaard and De Silvestri for Cambiaghi and Helland. Bernardeschi came close to adding a second with a curling left-footed attempt that passed narrowly wide.
Abate made a triple substitution in the 68th minute, bringing on Belghali, Oristanio and Ilkhan for Comert, Vlasic and Bragança. Bologna soon turned to Orsolini and Moro in place of Bernardeschi and Pobega, but the momentum had begun to shift.
Torino’s equaliser arrived in the 77th minute. Kulenovic found room outside the penalty area and struck with his right foot; Skorupski’s handling did not match the power or direction of the effort, and the ball reached the net for 1-1.
The Granata pressed for more and appealed for a penalty in the 83rd minute when Oristanio went down following contact with Heggem. The referee saw no infringement. There was no decisive late chance at either end, leaving Bologna’s new coach with a draw rather than the lift his first match had briefly promised.
Some whistles greeted the final whistle from the home support. Bologna sit two points behind Torino, and the early season remains unsettled for a side still waiting for a first league victory.
