CATANZARO-PALERMO 3-0
SCOREERS 1′ and 15′ pt Iemmello, 41′ Liberals
CATANZARO (3-4-2-1) Pigliacelli 6; Cassandro 7.5, Antonini 7, Brighenti 7; Favasuli 7, Petriccione 7, Pontisso 7 (31′ st Pompetti 6), Alesi 6.5 (40′ st Rispoli sv); Liberals 7.5 (31′ st Frosinini 6), Iemmello 8 (40′ st Di Francesco sv); Pittarello 6.5. All. Aquilani 8
PALERMO (3-4-2-1) Joronen 6; Peda 5, Magnani 5, Ceccaroni 5; Pierozzi 4.5 (1′ st Giasy 4.5), Segre 5 (43′ st Giovane sv), Ranocchia 5 (16′ st Blin 5), Augello 5 (16′ st Modesto 5.5); Le Douaron 4.5 (7′ st Johnsen 5.5), Palumbo 5; Pohjanpalo 4.5. All. Inzaghi 4.5
REFEREE Feliciani of Teramo 6
NOTES paying 12,942, collection of 286,136 euros. Ranocchia, Augello, Frosinini and Pierozzi are booked. Corners 5-2. Rec. 6′; 6′
Gianna Nannini should start singing her “Estate italiana”, the one with the refrain “magical nights”, and it wouldn’t even be enough. Catanzaro beat Palermo 3-0 and continues to daydream about the unthinkable. Game 1 belongs to Aquilani and Iemmello, who scores two and pots the third for Liberali in a first half that is the storm that hits Inzaghi. Game 2 at the “Barbera” on Wednesday: it will be tough, but the Giallorossi in this version cannot be afraid.
The start is one that can only be imagined, because 47 seconds pass and Iemmello scores with a header, between Peda and Pierozzi, on Cassandro’s cross. Palermo takes the blow a lot, because they don’t have the slightest reaction and seem powerless in the face of Catanzaro’s phrasing, who always doubles the lead with Iemmello, still heading, on Pontisso’s corner corrected by Brighenti in the center of the area: the linesman Di Gioia recognizes an offside that doesn’t exist, in fact the VAR confirms the goal (15′). The Sicilians just aren’t there: Pittarello and Pontisso come close, Palermo is dangerous from Palumbo’s corner (Ceccaroni heads just wide, 40′), then they get a trio: Pigliacelli for Iemmello, from him to Liberali, who puts Ceccaroni out of play with a fake and cripples Joronen with his soft left foot.
Inzaghi changes four between the interval and the first quarter of the second half, Palermo presses more, but it is Catanzaro who lowers himself to restart and is in any case more incisive in his dribbling and also when he reaches the Sicilian attacking midfield. Johnsen gives a bit of effervescence, then Aquilani removes Liberali for Frosinini and Pompetti for Pontisso, Alesi advances and introduces freshness on the left. Pittarello served by Alesi approaches the intersection (35′), Joronen blocks Frosinini (42′) and then sighs at the danger averted due to Pompetti’s rebound just wide. Modesto hits the top of the crossbar in injury time, but the 3-0 is close to Catanzaro.