The second pre-season outing ended in a draw. Massimiliano Alvini’s Cosenza, against an opponent of greater lineage than Roma Primavera, failed to go beyond 1-1. Trapani took the lead in the first minutes of the second half, thanks to a free kick converted by Kragl (the barrier was distracted, Micai was surprised) and was equalized twenty minutes later on a penalty kick by Kouan. The former Perugia player stepped up to the spot after a handball by an opposing defender on a low cross from the edge of the six-yard box by Aldo Florenzi. Beyond the result, which certainly has a secondary value, what emerged from the closed-door match at the “Élite” sports centre in Cascia It’s like the rossoblù are still a work in progress. Three days after the end of the retreat, the deficient situation is exacerbated by the series of absentees recorded yesterday for various reasons. The already long list was also joined by Jahce Novello, forced almost immediately to ask for a substitution in the second half, due to a shoulder injury.
Cosenza had to give up Cimino, D’Orazio, D’Urso, Gyamfi, La Vardera, Marras, Martino, Sgarbi, Tutino, Venturi and Zilli even before the start.
In Cascia, the coach worked with a large squad but the starting eleven of the championship (there is less than a month to go until the start of the cadet tournament) is still not visible.. Delvecchio still has a lot of work to do. He hasn’t replaced Meroni yet. The centre-back who moved to Reggiana at the end of his contract is a quality player who needs to be replaced with a suitable alternative. On the other side, on the centre-left, Dalle Mura is currently behind Caporale. On the right flank, Martino is late after the injury to his Achilles tendon in recent months, so he hasn’t been used yet. Up to now, Ciervo has played on the wing, but he is actually an attacking winger (as he stressed during the presentation conference, provoking the anger of the sporting director), a role not foreseen in Alvini’s tactical chessboard, who yesterday opted for two attacking midfielders behind a striker at kick-off.
The Silani did not even build the median dam. And up front, with Tutino on his farewell step and unused so far, there is no player capable of offering similar scoring guarantees to the Neapolitan. How important the number nine was for the ninth place finish is clear to everyone on the Crati shore. The composition of the current squad highlights several flaws and is also not very balanced, despite the fact that nine new players have already officially arrived (in addition to those returning from loans). Cosenza needs to sell Tutino and then will have to place many surplus players to avoid an extra-large squad.
Cosenza-Trapani 1-1
Markers: 2′ st Kragl, 19′ st rig Kouan.
Cosenza (3-4-2-1): Micai (19′ st Baldi); Hristov, Camporese (10′ st Dalle Mura), Caporale, Arioli (1′ st Barone), Charlys (16′ st Contiero), Florenzi, Ciervo; Kouan, Rizzo Pinna (10′ st Begheldo); Fumagalli (1′ st Novello, 10′ st Colasurdo). Coach: Alvini.
Trapani (4-3-3): Seculin (1′ st Ujkaj); Ciotti (14′ st Pino), Celiento (1′ st Bolcano), Gelli (1′ st Benassai), Martina (14′ st Sabatino); Mastrantonio, Crimi (10′ st Balla), Carraro (1′ st Karic); Fall (1′ st Kragl), Zuppel (24′ st Marsico), Kanouté (16′ st Muscas). All.: Torrisi.
Referee: Amadei of Terni