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Monza-Catanzaro 0-2
Scorers: 39′ pt Jack, 33′ st Frosinini.
Monza (3-4-2-1): Thiam 7; Birindelli 5.5, Delli Carri 5, Carboni 5.5 (24′ st Lucchesi 6); Bakoune 5 (30′ st Antov 6), Colombo 6, Pessina 6, Azzi 6; Hernani 5.5 (38′ st Obiang sv), Mota 5 (1′ st Petagna 6); Cutrone 6 (24′ st Case 5.5). Al. White 5.
Catanzaro (3-4-2-1): Pigliacelli 7; Cassandro 7 (33′ st D’Alessandro 6), Antonini 7, Jack 7.5 (18′ st Frosinini 7.5); Favasuli 7, Petriccione 7, Pontisso 6.5 (1′ st Pompetti 6), Di Francesco 6.5 (10′ st Alesi 7); Liberali 7 (33′ st Koffi 6), Iemmello 5; Pittarello 6.5. All. Aquilani 7.5.
Referee: Massa di Imperia 5.5.
Notes: spectators 17,015. Booked: Pontisso, Frosinini, Birindelli, Koffi, Antov. Corners: 4-3. Recovery time: 3′ time, 8′ time.
An undertaking that was close to the very end
A miracle vanished by a breath. Catanzaro is a show of courage, strength and quality. He approaches the feat, caresses it, imagines it and feels the strong flavor of it, but in the end Monza goes to Serie A: the Giallorossi win 2-0, dominate, score with the most unexpected men (Jack in the first half, Frosinini in the second), fly with the recklessness of those who have everything to gain and nothing to lose, they build many chances for the trio and their 4,000 fans behind them are an absolute show.
But what was feared after the 2-0 defeat in the first leg happens: winning with a three-goal margin would have been almost impossible and the Lombards are celebrating the best placing in the league, not because they deserved it, at least not in this match.
Aquilani gives up Brighenti (knee problem) for Jack and puts Di Francesco in Alesi’s place in a team that tries right away in a reasoned way, without enthusiasm but with clear ideas and clear plots. The coach’s solutions pay off, because the hosts are low and close in, they suffer from the verve of Liberali and, on the flanks, of Di Francesco and Favasuli, the usual train that earns a free kick from which Jack, with his header, hits too centrally (13′).
It is the first jolt of the match and it is a danger signal to which Monza, insidious on the counterattack with Cutrone a minute later, does not pay too much attention.
The Brianza team perhaps would like to play cat and mouse, but without being able to make an impact forward the risk is that the cat becomes the mouse and this is how it ends when Jack, once again, scores with a header from the free kick from the attacking midfield which Di Francesco takes and which Pontisso puts in with the remote control (39′). There is a part of the stadium that explodes and another that trembles with fear.
An initiative by Di Francesco triggers Liberali’s left-footed shot from the edge, Thiam corrects a diving corner, avoiding a double that would have been in order for a scared team, but which still manages to make Catanzaro shiver when Pessina comes close to the top corner with a left-footed shot from the edge (48′ pt).
The dream remains alive until the end
At half-time Bianco replaces Mota with Petagna, Aquilani replaces Pontisso with Pompetti. Monza started differently, got up and gave up less, but it was Iemmello who literally ate the second goal with a weak right-footed shot two steps away from Thiam (10′), served by Pittarello a few seconds after the alternation of Di Francesco with Alesi.
Pigliacelli scores a goal by avoiding it: he performs a miracle on Petagna’s header (11′), then Catanzaro comes out again, bringing on Frosinini in place of Jack to increase the momentum. Alesi, Liberali and Iemmello, served by Favasuli, become thorns on the skin of Monza, now on the ropes.
Bianco launches Caso for Cutrone, then the defender Antov for Bakoune. Aquilani responds with Koffi and D’Alessandro in place of Liberali and Cassandro, just before the second goal: cross by Favasuli and winning insertion by Frosinini.
Monza danced fearfully, the match became more nervous (Aquilani’s deputy Agnelli was sent off), every ball in the area was a prayer. Catanzaro continues to push, looking for the third goal which would be worth the feat, but in the end the Brianza people resist. Despite it all.
PHOTO MONTEVERDE