Cesena hold Roma as Genoa defeat Udinese

The Giallorossi opened their campaign against a Cesena side that was back in Serie A for the first time since 1991. Adriano is out for a month following his thigh strain and Julio Sergio recovered in time, so the home side was unchanged from last term. The same could not be said of the revamped Cavallucci Marini, who also welcomed new Coach Massimo Ficcadenti.
Mirko Vucinic’s diving header whistled wide, but Cesena had a confident start at the Olimpico.
John Arne Riise had penalty appeals rejected for a crucial Ezequiel Schelotto tackle in the box. However, on the break from that Roma corner, Nagatomo’s angled drive flashed across the face of goal and scraped the base of the far post.
Roma took a while to get going, but created a fine team move when Francesco Totti’s dummy allowed a give-and-go between Simone Perrotta and Jeremy Menez, the Italian’s shot eventually charged down in the box.
A crucial Colucci sliding tackle stopped Daniele De Rossi from tapping in, but the move continued and 40-year-old Francesco Antonioli needed a smart reaction save to deny the Roma midfielder.
An audacious Totti strike from distance shook the side-netting and Philippe Mexes’ acrobatic attempt simply didn’t have the power to concern Antonioli.
Under-21 international Schelotto spun round in the box and fired over the bar from a promising position.
At the other end Menez hit a powerful but central effort that was straight at the goalkeeper, while a Vucinic looping header landed on the roof of the net.
Totti blasted just over from a rolled-on free kick and Schelotto’s snapshot was again comfortable for Julio Sergio.
Roma should’ve scored on 71 minutes, but were denied by an excellent Antonioli double save. He was at full stretch to fingertip a low Rodrigo Taddei cross into the path of Vucinic, then did brilliantly to parry the strike from close range. From that corner, Riise flashed an effort across the face of goal.
Erjon Bogdani nodded wide, but Roma surprisingly substituted De Rossi with Matteo Brighi, as the ‘future captain’ has been on poor form so far this summer.
Antonioli plucked a Taddei cross off the feet of Vucinic from six yards, while Totti flashed a daisy-cutter inches wide.
Stefano Okaka came off the bench and almost scored with his first touch. A Totti screamer from distance bounced right in front of Antonioli, but the 40-year-old again parried and did well to bat it away from Okaka’s feet.
However, moments later it was almost 1-0 to Cesena at the Olimpico. Ceccarelli’s pass from the right flank sent Bogdani through, who chipped the on-rushing Julio Sergio only to see it land on the side-netting of an open goal.
Totti again threatened, his header from a Taddei pull-back just off target. In stoppages Antonioli was again brave, rushing off his line to close down Brighi.
In the earlier match Giandomenico Mesto’s spectacular overhead kick gave Genoa a 1-0 victory away to Udinese as the 2010-11 campaign kicked off, but lost Luca Toni to injury.
The Rossoblu fielded five new players in their starting XI, including Toni, Eduardo, Rafinha and Miguel Veloso. Udinese hailed striker Antonio Di Natale, who this week rejected a move to Juventus, and Francesco Guidolin on his return to the club after 11 years. Mauricio Isla sat out a ban for the home team