Scorers: pt 23′ Mungo, 44′ Maggio; st 43 Sarao
Syracuse (4-3-3): Lumia 6; Di Paola 6.5, Benassi 6.5, Suhs 6.5, Sena 6; Esposito 5.5, Aliperta 6 (31′ st Teijo 6), Zampa 6; Alma 6 (45′ st Vacca sv), Maggio 6.5 (31′ st Sarao 6.5), Russotto 5.5 (43′ pt Forchignone 6.5). Available: Lamberti, Gozzo, Markic, Arcidiacono, Lo Faso. All. Spinelli 6.5.
Reggio Calabria (4-3-3): Martinez 6; Martiner 6.5, Girasole 6.5 (44′ st Renelus 6), Adejo 6.5, Cham 6.5; Mungo 6, Barillà 6, Porcino 6.5 (46′ st Zanchi sv); Provazza 6.5 (44′ st Rana sv), Rosseti 6 (6′ st Bolzicco), Perri 6 (37′ st Zucco 6). Available: Valcea, Kremenovic, Salandria, Belpanno. Annex Trocini 6.5.
Referee: Caruso of Viterbo 6
Notes: Mungo and Esposito sent off in the 47th minute. Zampa, Porcino, Barillà, Russotto, Benassi, Girasole, Forchignon and Sena are booked. Corners 5-6.
SYRACUSE Syracuse wins the playoff final against a tenacious Reggio Calabria at the end of a difficult match, giving its fans yet another success which however does not mathematically mean promotion.
Tactical and nervous match for both teams, certainly both in the superior category. Mister Trocini’s team immediately aims for an attacking match. Syracuse controls. Few ideas. The referee lets some doubtful episodes go by and whistles fouls for both teams and the match gets ugly. The guests take the lead with Mungo freezing a “Nicola De Simone” stadium full of seats: a low shot from a very angled shot from the edge after Provazza’s assist. It was necessary to wait twenty minutes, almost to the end of the first half, to witness the equalizer with the usual Maggio who headed in a ball well blocked by Martinez.
At the end of the first half Mungo and Esposito put their hands on each other due to a foul and both were sent off. There is also time for a half duck from Lumia, the goalkeeper waits longer than necessary and the attacker Roseti puts it in probably with the help of his arm. When it seemed that the match would proceed to extra time, the newly entered Sarao, launched by Forchignone, managed to free himself between two opponents and score on the counterattack with a low shot under Martinez’s legs.
“We will apply for repechage – announces president Alessandro Ricci -. For now we rest. I thank Mister Spinelli. This city deserves the pro League. We are convinced that we will have the administration at our side, also for the renovation of the stadium.”
“It was a quality match – said Mr. Spinelli -. Very painful: these guys have demonstrated that they have above-average value. Closing like this was important because it was necessary to highlight the path they have taken. They were extraordinary, thanks to everyone. I thank the club who made a courageous choice. Congratulations to everyone. I remember that Reggina is a renowned club with an extraordinary staff. They started well. We took a risk. The sending off changed the game and in the second half we changed pace. We believe it. Winning with this shirt isn’t like anywhere else.”
“There is regret, we deserved another result – comments mister Trocini -. But we knew we had to be perfect in front of a very strong team. I congratulate the boys on their performance. They believed in it and we wanted to get to the playoffs. Something was missing in the last few metres. We managed to keep them out of our area and we succeeded. We did well. We lost ourselves in the double expulsion. For my future? I’ll pull the plug then we’ll see.”
