PESCARA. A lot of suffering, a lot of chills but also the great satisfaction of having won the pass for another great evening. With the surprise that the venue will be the Adriatico-Cornacchia stadium and the opponent will be Juventus NG. Just rewind the tape to the beginning of the season to see Pescara-Juventus NG again in the Adriatic: that day everything was easy for Cuppone and his teammates (3-1 with a brace from the attacker and a goal from Accornero), but in the Biancazzurri home team the team is strong awareness that Saturday evening (9pm, live TV on Rai Sport) will be a completely different story. Already in Alessandria in the return match (4-3 for the Bianconeri) Hasa and his associates demonstrated the progress made and today this Juventus team can be frightening in terms of quality and physicality. For Pescara still the bonus (achieved thanks to the best placing in the championship) of the two results out of three available at the end of the 90′ to access the national stages. There will be no overtime or penalties on Saturday either.
Cuppone Factor. Gigi Cuppone likes the atmosphere of the play offs. Having been dry for a long time (January 27) in the league, a double was needed in the play offs. Last year the story was similar and the double, after a long drought, arrived in Chiavari in the play-off quarterfinals. Against Juventus in the first season of the championship everything was easy for him against the Bianconeri’s defense and he scored a brace. On Saturday he wants to give an encore.
Rebus Vergani. It may have been the tactical need that dictated the match, but the inclusion of Cangiano for Cuppone smacks of a failure for Edoardo Vergani. The former Salernitana player had his chances with Cascione but last Tuesday’s change was a sign. Definitive? We’ll find out already on Saturday evening. The analysis of the 1st round. Pescara started badly on Tuesday evening, immediately conceding an unfortunate own goal. Then he was good at turning the game around, which is not trivial with Pontedera always compact and leaving zero spaces. But it was the first half hour of the second half that was not convincing: the Tuscans with a new structure (three-man defense and Delpupo up front), the Biancazzurri incapable of finding the right countermeasures. Yet it was clear and obvious how Pontedera conceded one-on-one play to the three blue and white attackers: a delicious morsel for those who have three players like those of Pescara but in the end no one had the chance to exploit the wide spaces and Pontedera with its setup scared the Adriatico stadium a lot. The visitors’ ball possession in the second half was close to 65%, in the first 45′ Pescara had 54%: it’s the picture of a thrilling recovery. Late Cascione changes? Maybe yes, because Franchini restored balance to the team but it was Pescara’s whole attitude in the 2nd half that wasn’t pleasing.
Floriani shines. Having started badly and was immediately punished by Ianesi, Floriani has become a real added value. Perfect after the initial indecision in the defensive phase, a deadly weapon with his running in the offensive phase. The play with Merola and the cross for Cuppone’s 2-1 are worth the price of the ticket, on the right lane the former Lazio player was decisive and in the final he also made the assist for the potential 3-2 for Accornero.
Aloi joy and sorrow. As beautiful was Salvatore Aloi’s verticalization during the white-blue equalizer as the warning he received in the second half was useless and naive. Aloi immediately goes on a warning and, if Pescara were to progress to the national stages, it is a significant problem.
News bulletin. The condition of the blue and white midfielder needs to be checked, at the end of the match he had pain in his knee, but Aloi should grit his teeth and respond presently. Simone Franchini disappears and drew applause against Pontedera in the final part of the match. Matteo Dagasso? The absence is certain on Saturday (muscle problem), for the class of 2004 the follow-up exams are scheduled for next Monday.
Enrico Giancarli
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