Messina goes two goals down, then closes the gap and comes one step away from a draw, but, considering what we saw at the “Veneziani”, the hosts have built much more from an offensive point of view, especially in the initial phase of the match. match, compared to the Giallorossi, who managed to bring home a fairly decent performance, despite not picking up any points. In the final ranking, Messina is joined by Catania at 45, but the rossoazzurri are thirteenth, due to the best goal difference, while the giallorossi finish in fourteenth position, the same result obtained in the first season among the professionals.
PREMATCH – A late summer afternoon is the setting for Messina’s last seasonal outing, playing at the “Veneziani” against Monopoli, looking for a victory that will allow them to find the best possible position in the playout grid, with the hope, even, of being able even pulling themselves out of the survival play-off. Giacomo Modica fields an initial line-up in which the so-called second lines find space, leaving some permanent starters on the bench. In goal, for the second time in the tournament, there is Piana, then a defensive department with Salvo-Polito-Pacciardi-Dumbravanu, the arrangement of the rest of the team will be seen at the moment of Mr. Emmanuele’s initial whistle, even if, probably, yes it will be a 4-3-3 with Scafetta-Firenze-Giunta behind an attack with Signorile-Luciani and Zunno. On the opposite side, Taurino changes nothing compared to the men chosen in the unsuccessful trip to Crotone last Sunday, except Fornasier in place of the former Ferrini, who sits on the bench.
NEWS
FIRST HALF – First chance for the home team after 4′, Fornasier heads in from Viteritti’s corner, finding Piana ready to deflect under the crossbar. Monopoli moves well and, in the 7th minute, Tommasini comes close to scoring with a touch from the edge of the small area, just wide. Punctual, at the stroke of the tenth minute, the goal of the green and white advantage arrives, even if it is an own goal, on Borello’s shot, Piana saves, but Salvo is on the path who involuntarily places it at the bottom of the bag. Monopoli again in the Giallorossi area, in the 15th minute, with a header from Barlocco that finds a reactive Piana on the path aimed into the corner. Dumbravanu’s unrealistic attempt a couple of minutes later, with a missed cross that goes over the post to the left of Dalmasso, who controlled the ball comfortably. Timid Giallorossi offensive action in the 32nd minute, following a free kick pattern, but Zunno fails to shoot from the heart of the Puglia area. Zunno again fires an oversized right-footed shot in the 35th minute, while, two minutes later, on the first corner won by Messina, Polito hits a high header. In the 43rd minute the first yellow card of the match arrives, Giunta gets it for a repeated hold on Viteritti. Nothing to report until Mr. Emmanuele’s double whistle, with Monopoli going into the break with a deserved lead in the face of a Messina team not really moved by sacred competitive ardour, even though Modica’s men kept the field in order, showing very little of themselves from the parts of the opposing goalkeeper, never involved.
SECOND HALF – During the interval, Modica made the decision to insert Cavallo and Zona, while Pacciardi and Signorile remained in the changing rooms, with Dumbravanu teaming up at the center of defense with Polito. Not even two minutes have passed since the start of the second half and, on a long throw from Borello, Tommasini controls everything alone, enters the Giallorossi area, waits for Polito’s unconvinced tackle and unloads a right-footed shot which passes under Piana’s body and ends up online. In the 51st minute Viteritti makes the same foul that cost Giunta a yellow card on him in the first half and is warned by the referee. Messina shakes up in the 53rd minute, with a cross from Cavallo which Luciani does very well to graze with his header, beating Dalmasso at the opposite post. Ball in the center and Monopoli, with Tommasini, forces Piana to deflect to the ground. Piana was again very good in the 57th minute, following a poisonous left-footed shot from Iaccarino. Giunta caused the second yellow card against Monopoli, which fell to Iaccarino in the 59th minute. Immediately afterwards, Ragusa’s turn arrives in place of Zunno. Zona was booked in the 66th minute and, during the break, Hamlili and Gandolfo came on for Sosa and Iaccarino. Grandolfo is immediately dangerous, but he finds Piana in his way, ready to close the door and then frees Polito. Messina’s deadly restart in the 69th minute, initiated by Cavallo who then exchanges with Firenze and finishes delightfully for Ragusa, a first-time shot on which Dalmasso thrives by deflecting towards the back. In the 75th minute a slot exploited simultaneously by Modica and Taurino. Borello leaves for Bulevardi, having received a booking, while for Messina, Luciani and Giunta leave, Plescia and Emmausso enter. Messina tries to reach the equalizer, taking advantage of an apparent physical decline on the part of their opponents. Tommasini injured his thigh and Taurino replaced him with Ardizzone in the 85th minute, as did Viteritti with Berman. Yellow for De Risio in the 85th minute. The match drags on without major upheavals until the end of the fifth minute of injury time, when the final whistle confirms the victory of Monopoli, who, in any case, will have to play the playouts, while Messina closes with a performance eager but not very incisive in the offensive phase, collecting the third consecutive away defeat after Castellammare and Catania, in a final part of the championship not in line with what was seen especially in the period between last December and February, when the Giallorossi were really in the running to enter in the playoff zone. No drama, however, given the expectations on the eve, but a hint of regret remains.
SCORESHEET
MONOPOLIES-MESSINA 2-1
Scorers: 10′ Salvo (own goal) (Mo), 47′ Tommasini (Mo), 53′ Luciani (Me)
MONOPOLIES (3-5-2): Dalmasso; Fornasier, Angileri, Bizzotto; Viteritti (from 85′ Berman), De Risio, Iaccarino (from 67′ Hamlili), Borello (from 75′ Bulevardi), Barlocco; Sosa (Grandolfo from 67′), Tommasini (Ardizzone from 85′), On the bench; Vitale S., De Paoli, Ferrini, Cristallo, Simone, Cubretovic, Arioli, Peschetola, Vitale M.. Coach: Roberto Taurino.
MESSINA (4-3-3): Flat; Salvo, Polito, Pacciardi (from 46′ Zone), Dumbravanu; Scafetta, Florence, Giunta (from 75′ Emmausso); Signorile (from 46′ Cavallo), Luciani (from 75′ Plescia), Zunno (from 60′ Ragusa). On the bench: Fumagalli E., Manetta, Frisenna, Franco, Lia, Adragna, Rosafio, Fumagalli J.,. Coach: Giacomo Modica.
Referee: Marco Emmanuele of Pisa
Assistants: Franco Iacovacci from Latina and Fabio Dell’Arciprete from Vasto
Fourth Officer: Giuseppe Vingo of Pisa
Ammonites: 43′ Giunta (Me), 51′ Viteritti (Mo), 59′ Iaccarino (Mo), 66′ Zona (Me), 85′ De Risio (Mo)
Corners: 8-2
Recovery: 1′ and 5′
