Catanzaro at the last gasp: La Mantia scores the equalizer in the last minute, Modena comes close to a coup: it’s 2-2 at Ceravolo

John

By John

Catanzaro-Modena 2-2

Markers: 25′ pt Situm (C), 34′ pt Abuse (M), 11′ st Idrissi (M), 44′ st La Mantia (C)

Catanzaro (3-5-2): Pigliacelli 6; Scognamillo 6Antonini 6Bonini 5.5 (12′ st Brighenti 6); Situm 6.5Pompetti 5.5 (12′ st Pontisso 6.5), Petriccione 6.5Koutsoupias 6 (24′ st Companion 6), D’Alessandro 6 (36′ st Seck sv); Pittarello 6Biasci 5.5 (24′ st La Mantia 6.5). All.: Caserta 5.5

Modena (4-2-3-1): Gagno 6; Dellavalle 6 (31′ st Di Pardo 6), Zaro 6Caldara 6.5 (17′ st Pergreffi 6), Such 6 (31′ st Box office 5.5); Magnino 6Santoro 6.5; Palumbo 7.5Bozhanaj 6 (17′ st Battistella 5.5), Idrissi 6.5; Abuse 6.5 (37′ st Alberti sv). All.: Bisoli 6.5

Referee: Collu of Cagliari 5.5

Notes: Spectators 8,394 (subscribers 5,729), takings of 125,167 euros. Booked: Bonini, Dellavalle, Idrissi, Pittarello. Angles: 4-8. Recovery time: 2′ time, 5′ time.

The turning point that doesn’t exist. Catanzaro closes the draw with Modena at the end and breathes a sigh of relief at least for having escaped the danger. Because after Situm’s lead, the Giallorossi collected Abiuso’s equalizer from a free kick and caught Idrissi’s second, suffering a counterattack – in an unwatchable way – on a favorable corner. The Emilians, decimated, would also have the knockout blow against a scholastic opponent on the ropes, but luckily – for himself and the team – Caserta manages to draw the 2-2 substitutions from the bench: Pontisso from the flag, La Mantia with a header with Di Pardo’s providential deviation. In injury time there were protests over a suspected Botteghin foul on Pittarello which the referee and VAR (after a check) let go. As far as the point was concerned, it would be fine. For what it was for, absolutely not.

The rumors from the day before are confirmed: team with 3-5-2, Situm and D’Alessandro outside midfield, Koutsoupias in the middle with Petriccione and Pompetti, Antonini’s centimeters in place of Brighenti at the center of the three-man defense against Modena which, compared to what was expected , raises Idrissi (a full-back) to the left wing and places Cotali as full-back on that flank in the 4-2-3-1.

Catanzaro is more intense and tries to push morebut between the use of throws for Pittarello (who bangs himself, but in the end is controlled) and some attempts in the lanes exploiting the banks with the midfielders, he doesn’t produce much until the goal (25′): cross from D’Alessandro from the left, Caldara clears with a header and dives to anticipate Pittarello, Situm hits perfectly, with a counter-ball, and scores. Assistant Belsanti raises his flag for an offside which, after a two-minute VAR check, allows Collu to validate the goal.

Modena didn’t get too upset and found the equalizer from a corner: beats Palumbo, Abiuso hits the near post between Bonini and Pittarello, hitting the Emilians’ eighth header (out of 11), the sixth header in the 34th minute. Della Valle’s cross which becomes a shot and forces Pigliacelli to deflect for a corner, also because it was pushed by the favorable wind, is the third and final signal to note of the first half.

If the Giallorossi were at least on track until the break, Modena was more so in the second half: Bozhanaj tries from outside and gives Pigliacelli shivers, then on a Catanzaro corner he places the overtaking counterattack finished from the outside by Palumbo and finalized by Idrissi (11′). Caserta’s response: Pontisso for Pompetti and Brighenti for Bonini, always remaining with the three-man defense against the only guest attacker. The formation remains the same even when La Mantia takes over Biasci and Compagnon Koutsoupias, moving Situm to the inside right. Modena scores the third with Abiuso, but Collu cancels, only after having completed the action, due to a foul by Idrissi on Compagnon. In the final, the Giallorossi with the 4-2-4 and Seck on the pitch (for D’Alessandro). The equalizer from a corner, the only way to create something: Pontisso beats, La Mantia stands out and Di Pardo’s deflection puts Gagno out of action. In injury time, Catanzaro protested for a suspected foul by Pergreffi on Pittarello which Collu let go and the VAR, after review, did not judge it to be a penalty.