CATANZARO-CARRARESE 3-1
SCORES: 34′ pt Biasci (Cat), 44′ Bouah (Car), 45′ Iemmello (Cat); 8′ st Pontisso (Cat)
CATANZARO (3-5-2): Pigliacelli 6; Brighenti 6.5, Antonini 7, Bonini 6.5 (28′ st Scognamillo 6); Cassandro 7, Pompetti 6.5, Petriccione 7 (33′ st Coulibaly 6), Pontisso 7 (41′ st Pagano n/a), Situm 7; Iemmello 7 (28′ st Pittarello 6), Biasci 7.5 (41′ st Seck n/a). Coach: Caserta 7.5.
CARRARESE (3-4-2-1): Bleve 6; Illanes 5.5, Hermanssonn 4 (15′ st Coppolaro 5.5), Imperiale 5; Bouah 6, Capezzi 6, Schiavi 5 (1′ st Giovane 6), Cicconi 5.5; Finotto 5.5 (37′ st Cerri sv), Panico 5 (1′ st Shpendi 6); Capello 5 (15′ st Cherubini 5.5). Coach: Calabro 5.
REFEREE: Perenzoni of Rovereto 6.
NOTE: Spectators 9,348 of which 5,665 season ticket holders, revenue of 156,215 euros. Yellow cards: Brighenti, Bonini, Cicconi, Schiavi. Corners: 0-5. Recovery time: 1′; 4′.
The wait, an indispensable and blessed breath of fresh air. The first victory in the championship just before the break: points, smiles and a bit of tranquility. It was needed. The 3-1 win over Carrarese could mark a turning point for Catanzaro, which now has two weeks of work (next stop Cittadella, September 14) in which to insert reinforcements and bring everyone to the same condition. They will be able to do it with a minimum of relaxation in the standings and in the environment: think how complicated it would have been to manage the stop after a draw or, even worse, another defeat. This full house signed by Biasci, Iemmello and Pontisso is a balm that reconnects a thread that was broken exactly four months ago: excluding the playoff game with Brescia, pocketed in extra time, the Eagles had not made the “Ceravolo” factor count in regulation time since the 3-2 win over Venezia on May 1st. It was about time.
Caserta confirms the 3-5-2, Situm plays on the left, in defense he prefers Brighenti to Scognamillo, in the middle he places Pompetti with Petriccione and Pontisso, up front Iemmello and Biasci. Calabro responds with a 3-4-2-1 that leaves the initiative to the Giallorossi and tries to strike in transition. However, compared to the lackluster performance on Wednesday in Cesena, Catanzaro is much more lively on an athletic level and Situm, brought to a wing that he hadn’t played for a long time, is certainly among the brightest and most proactive. In general, the ball moves well, the defense keeps good guard, the team is aggressive and in construction leaves little to the opponent and even gets to shoot several times (Cassandro was especially dangerous after half an hour) before the lead in the 34th minute: ball in the area by Cassandro, Hermannsson’s attempt to save is clumsy and turns into a stop for Biasci, who doesn’t miss in the small area.
He doesn’t even forgive Carrarese at the first real opportunityafter Catanzaro is a bit complacent and doesn’t push as before: throw-in, too easy cross by Capezzi, incursion and winning header by Bouah (44′), who takes off and beats Situm. The Croatian makes amends immediately, because on Petriccione and Pontisso’s recovery in midfield, he dives left and crosses into the center of the area: Iemmello heads and breaks free. Just one more goal is meager and also a bit unfair, but Pontisso opens the second half (8′) with a great right-footed shot from the heart of the area on a service from the unstoppable Biasci (another carelessness by Hermannsson) the match has taken a slippery slope in the best direction for the Eagles: 3-1 and goodbye Carrarese.
Calabro had tried to give brilliance with Giovane and Shpendibut zero benefits and the Giallorossi always in control of the operations and very close to the poker (23′) after a great one-two from the “twins” and the right-footed shot from Iemmello that Bleve deflects with his foot into a corner (which the referee doesn’t see). After a silent check by the VAR for a suspected handball by Brighenti, the rest is basically academic: Caserta puts in the muscles of Coulibaly (for Petriccione) and Pittarello (for Iemmello) as well as Scognamillo for Bonini and Catanzaro manages without worries, almost making the poker in the final with the substitute Seck.