Joe Hart has debut to forget with mistake for equaliser and then beaten by a penalty as Torino lose to Atalanta
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JOE HART suffered a Serie A debut to forget in Bergamo.
The England keeper, having completed a loan move to Torino, was at fault for the equaliser just two minutes after his team had taken the lead.
To make matters worse, Hart was then beaten by a penalty with nine minutes remaining as Atalanta celebrated their first win of the Italian league season.
Hart walked out to Status Quo’s ‘Whatever You Want’ and was whistled by all the home Atalanta fans when he walked to his goal in front of the notorious Curva Sud.
Farmed out by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, Hart had nothing to do until the 21st minute when he pushed out an effort from Franck Kessie.
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Atalanta’s Abdoulay Konko then beat Hart from the rebound but the shot was accidentally blocked by home striker Maurcio Pinilla.
Hart was caught out of position at the end of the first half but Kessie missed and Torino took the lead in the 54th minute with a free-kick from former Spurs and Southampton midfielder Iago Falque.
Soon after, though, Hart found himself picking the ball out of the net after he flapped at a corner and failed to get enough power on the ball. It fell for defender Andrea Masiello to volley into the net.
Other nightmare debuts
CLAUDIO BRAVO, MANCHESTER CITY 2016
Signed by Pep Guardiola to replace Hart as Manchester City number one due to his kicking ability, he clearly forgot what to do with his hands, gifting Zlatan Ibrahimovic a goal while City were 2-0 with a terribly misjudged claim for a cross. City won 2-1 but Bravo was error strewn particularly trying to dribble out of trouble and failing. Not promising.
JONATHAN WOODGATE, REAL MADRID 2005
Joined Galacticos from Newcastle United for £13.4m in 2004, but did not play until September 2005 due to injuries. When he did he scored an own goal during the first half and received a yellow card, completing his hat-trick of errors when he was sent off in the 65th minute.
CHRIS IWELUMO, SCOTLAND 2008
Iwelumo was 30 years old and playing for Wolves when he finally made his debut against Norway at Hampden Park. He somehow managed to miss from three yards out and it defined his career ever since.
TOMAS REPKA, WEST HAM 2001
The combative (read: aggressive) defender came to Upton Park for a club record fee, but with a reputation for rash tackles, and true to form he got sent off on debut. To make matters worse his first game back after serving his suspension, Repka was sent off again. But he did go on to have a decent career for the Hammers.
ALI DIA, SOUTHAMPTON 1996
Sometimes called the 'fake footballer', he somehow convinced Graeme Souness to sign him for Southampton by claiming he was the cousin of Ballon d’Or winner George Weah. He came on as a sub for Saints legend Matt Le Tissier, and it was very clear he wasn’t a Premier League footballer. He was himself later substituted and released by the club.
Hart’s nightmare was complete when Atalanta skipper Alejandro Gomez was fouled by Lorenzo De Silvestri and Kessie sent him the wrong way.
In a poor quality, bad tempered game, both managers were sent off.
Torino coach Sinisa Mihajlovic admits Hart was at fault.
Hart's error at a corner handed Atalanta a leveller and the Bergamo-based team then scored an 81st minute penalty.
Mihajlovic said: "I am not angry with Hart because it was personal mistake and this is normal during a match. He did not deal with the corner that well but this is football. No problem.
“But he was good with his feet, he did well when he hit long passes. It was a positive game for him.
"This will a be good experience for him because to play in Italy, it is difficult league.
“I am helping him learn Italian quickly and he is having to learn quickly to communicate with his defence.”
"In general, I am angry when the team don’t listen to my tactics. I know - I was a player – that individual errors happen."
Hart refused to speak afterwards.
But new team-mate Falque said: “Joe was very confident and excited by this experience.
“In training he works very hard and he had a good game. He played many balls with his feet and made a good save from Kessie.
“For me, he was not responsible for the goal.”