Pontedera 28 March 2024, A draw with the flavor of defeat, even bitter. This is the feeling after the one-to-one match between Cenaia and Unione Sportiva Livorno 1915. At the Mannucci stadium in Pontedera the amaranth took the lead with captain Andrea Luci. On a side that seemed to be going downhill, the cold shower dictated by Bartolini’s goal changed the cards on the table. On the one hand the hosts, ten for the expulsion of Caciagli, closed in defense in a desperate attempt to win a point while on the other hand US Livorno tried to make themselves dangerous with sterile crosses. Mister Fabio Fossati in the usual 3-5-2 Lorenzo Facchetti in goal with Andrei Tanasa, Felipe Curcio and Lorenzo Schiaroli in the defensive arm.
In midfield Alpha Camara and Nicolò Goffredi are confirmed as wingers while in midfield together with Andrea Luci and Niccolò Nardi, Lorenzo Sabattini wins the run-off with Filippo Bellini. In attack, however, the tandem is made up of Sacha Cori and James Tenkorang. After a very slow start, the Amaranths took the reins of the game, coming close to scoring in the quarter of an hour with Tenkorang who, from the edge of the area, hit the crossbar squarely. The team grows and finds the advantage in the 19th minute with a precise right-footed volley from 30 meters which hits the bottom corner. The goal conceded demoralized the home team and galvanized US Livorno who, immediately after the 0-1 score, risked doubling their lead again with Tenkorang and Nardi. Once the half hour has passed, however, Cenaia scares the approximately 500 amaranth fans present at the Mannucci in Pontedera with the former Andrea Ferretti who takes advantage of a defense error to score from a few steps away. However, the equalizer was canceled due to a much disputed offside by the home attacker himself. The first half ends with US Livorno ahead in search of a second. The second half starts again with the home team motivated and looking for an equalizer.
After just three minutes Simonini, alone but in a tight position, devours the one-to-one goal with a slow diagonal that is easily saved by Facchetti. But it is after the tour of the fields by both coaches that the cold shower arrives. Bartolini pounces on a loose ball from the edge of the amaranth area and with first intention unleashes a powerful, unstoppable right-footed shot for US Livorno’s number one. The draw shakes Mr. Fossati’s team who tries to change gear by adopting a super offensive attitude. Cenaia increases the pressure and puts a lot of fear into the Amaranths who, however, on the counterattack, find the episode in their favor. In fact, Nardi outpaces Caciagli who, already booked, receives the second yellow card and the consequent expulsion. The intensity of the guests therefore inevitably increases with the crosses of the wingers raining down from the lanes where Tenkorang does not reach. The Amaranth maneuver lacks precision and Cenaia, who close behind with all nine men available, starts again on the counterattack. The clock is ticking and US Livorno is struggling to find interesting ideas. The minutes of injury time are characterized by endless crosses that fail to find the final spark. The match thus ends amidst the boos of the amaranth public, the uncontainable joy of Cenaia and the US Livorno players on the ground in despair. A draw that effectively erases the Amaranths’ last hopes of trying to recover the disadvantage at the top of the table. Nothing is lost, but the situation is really difficult now.
THE SCORESHEET
Cenaia (4-3-3): Borghini; Papini, Scuderi, Pasquini, Rossi; Caciagli, Tognocchi (46′ Bartolini), Rustichelli (71′ Manfredi); Fontana (87′ Malara), Ferretti (77′ Degli Esposti), Simonini. Available: Baroni, Becucci, Macchia, Fenzi. Cocucci. All. Iacobelli
US Livorno (3-5-2): Facchetti; Schiaroli (56′ Carcani), Tanasa, Curcio; Camara (67′ Menga), Sabattini (56′ Bellini), Luci, Nardi, Goffredi; Tenkorang (78′ Frati), Cori (60′ Luis Henrique). Available: Albieri, Savshak, Brenna, Likaxhiu. All. Fossati
Referee: Grieco from Ascoli Piceno
Network: 19′ Luci, 61′ Bartolini
Notes: corners 0-3, Rustichelli, Rossi, Schiaroli, Bartolini and Borghini booked, Caciagli sent off, injury time 2’+5′
