Torino striker Andrea Belotti. (Photo : Getty Images)
Last season's middling squads Torino FC (0-1-0, 0 points) and Bologna FC (1-0-0, 3 points) began the 2016-2017 Serie A season on different notes, but will now face one another at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on Aug. 28, Sunday.
Torino, who finished at the 12th spot of the 20-team Italian top flight competitions last term, dropped a thrilling 2-3 game to AC Milan last Sunday on the road at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza to open their season on a whimper, as per Goal.
New Torino head coach Siniša Mihajlović faced his former squad and no other than his former favorite attacker, Carlos Bacca, gave his side all the problems in their season-opener.
The Colombian striker unleashed a hat trick against the present squad of his former mentor, scoring at the 38th, 50th, and 62nd minutes to make it a 3-1 count after Il Toro striker Andrea Belotti netted one at the 48th for the visitors.
Bacca opened the scoring with a well-placed header from inside the box off a cross by Ignazio Abate. Belotti then equalized three minutes after the restart, but the Colombia international quickly responded with a left-footed shot just two minutes later, this time with the assist coming from M'Baye Niang.
The former Sevilla attacker then completed his three-goal haul with a penalty kick two minutes after the hour mark.
Midfielder Daniele Baselli made it 3-2 in stoppage time with a goal from a header assist by teammate Lorenzo De Silvestri to give the game a more respectable final score.
Meanwhile, last term's 14th place finisher Bologna nipped newly-promoted squad FC Crotone, 1-0, at their home ground of Stadio Renato Dall'Ara also last Sunday to start their campaign on a high note, via SkySports.
After almost a whole game struggle with the Pythagoreans, Italian striker Mattia Destro provided the lone goal of the contest late in the match, with four minutes left before full time, to secure the three points for head coach Roberto Donadoni's side in their season-opener.
The predicted result is a tough 1-0 win for Torino.
Torino starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Padelli; De Silvestri, Rossettini, Moretti, Molinaro; Acquah, Vives, Obi; Martinez, Belotti, Ljajic
Bologna starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Mirante; Krafth, Gastaldello, Maietta, Masina; Turan, Pulgar, Nagy; Verdi, Destro, Krejci
