Chievo made a triumphant return to Serie A with a late 2-1 win at home to Reggina.
Having spent just one season in the second division, the Gialloblu made a fine start to the new campaign and came back from a goal down through Michele Marcolini's penalty in the 76th minute and Vincenzo Italiano's strike two minutes from time.
Bernard Corradi had briefly put the visitors ahead with a 72nd-minute spot-kick but Reggina could not find an equaliser despite Chievo new boy Antonio Langella's dismissal late on.
Chievo brought in 12 new faces over the summer but unfamiliarity was not an issue in the opening stages as the hosts dominated possession and chances.
Simone Bentivoglio's strike from outside the box flew just wide in the seventh minute and Antimo Iunco forced goalkeeper Andrea Campagnolo into a fine save two minutes later.
Campagnolo was in action again soon after, denying Davide Mandeli's close-range shot following a free-kick.
Luciano's skill and pace was a constant threat for Chievo and one rampage down the wing after half an hour set up captain Sergio Pellissier, who was unable to get a shot away before being closed down by Maurizio Lanzaro.
Pellissier, who ended transfer speculation by signing a contract extension until 2013 over the summer, came close just before the break, latching on to a long ball from Italiano before drawing a fine save from Campagnolo.
Reggina's new striker Corradi, a former Chievo player who moved from Manchester City in the close season, wasted a great chance five minutes after the restart when he poorly controlled the ball from a promising position in the area.
He made amends later though, blasting a penalty into the top corner after he was fouled by Cesar.
The lead was shortlived as Chievo were awarded a penalty of their own four minutes later. Langella was brought down by Luca Tognozzi and Marcolini rolled his spot-kick into the bottom-right corner.
The game looked to be heading for a stalemate until Italiano unleashed a rocket of a shot from outside the box which flew past the outstretched Campagnolo, earning Chievo all three points.
That was not the last of the game's action as five minutes into injury time Langella marred his otherwise impressive league debut for the Flying Donkeys by unnecessarily hacking down Reggina's Carlos Valdez in midfield, earning him a straight red card.
