Thereau inspires Chievo success

Chievo's shining light Cyril Thereau dazzled the Livorno defence as he inspired a 3-0 success for his side.

Chievo's shining light Cyril Thereau dazzled the Livorno defence as the home side climbed out of the Serie A relegation zone. The French forward scored Chievo's second goal and had a hand in the third, turning in a man-of-the-match display in the 3-0 success. After their win against city rivals Hellas Verona last weekend, Chievo were chasing back-to-back victories for the first time this season, and it came with plenty to spare. The signs were good, given that in eight previous meetings between the teams all three points had gone to Chievo seven times, with the other match drawn. Coach Eugenio Corini saw Chievo fend off early pressure before easing to their triumph with goals from Marco Rigoni, Thereau and Alberto Paloschi. Pasquale Schiattarella, Emerson and Luca Siligardi all rained in shots on Christian Puggioni's goal before Chievo first showed as an attacking threat. Boukary Drame saw an effort saved on the goalline by Francesco Bardi, and then drilled a long-range effort inches wide with the visiting keeper beaten. The breakthrough came after 36 minutes when Rigoni fired smartly into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area. Puggioni blocked a left-footed strike from Siligardi as Livorno looked to respond before the break, and Paulinho also forced the goalkeeper to save well from his close-range header. Chievo's Slovenian went close twice early in the second half, and the second goal came in the 56th minute when Livorno carelessly left Thereau in space inside the penalty area. He cracked a shot into the bottom right corner, with Bardi given no chance. Thereau hit the top of the crossbar moments later, and soon afterwards saw another shot deflected away by Leandro Rinaudo as Livorno battled to limit the damage. Chievo continued to pour forward, with Bardi twice denying the lively Thereau prior to the third goal arriving in the 78th minute. Again second-half livewire Thereau was in the thick of the action, denied by a save from Bardi before Paloschi pounced on the rebound from close range. Livorno hit the post in stoppage time through Leandro Greco.