Parma slows down in Palermo, Como and Venice get closer and it’s a three-way fight for Serie A

Seven draws characterize the 34th day of the championship B series. Parma did not go beyond a 0-0 draw in Palermo while Como and Venezia win away from Feralipalsò and Lecco. There Cremonese impacts Catanzaro and moves away from the direct Serie A which, with four games to go, now seems like a three-way conversation between ducals, larians and lagooners.

In line with the new defeat, the Lecco is almost in Serie C while the clear success of Cosenza 4-0 on the pitch Reggiana momentarily pulls the Calabrians out of the danger zone. For the rest, the table changes very little due to the seven draws, six of which are goalless.

Parma doesn’t break through in Palermo, Cosenza super in Reggio Emilia

In the Friday preview, Parma drew in Palermo in one of the big matches of the day. Few emotions at the Barbera with the rosanero in their third draw in a row with Mignani on the bench who still certifies the sixth position in the standings and an advantage of +8 from ninth place. The ducals, for their part, remain at the top at 70 but are drawn closer by away corsairs Como and Venice. In Palermo they try with little conviction. There are very few emotions and real opportunities on both sides. In the cold at Barbera it ended goalless also due to the attention of Pigliacelli who was busier than his colleague Chichizola, who did well on Mancuso in the first half.

In terms of salvation, an important and large victory for Cosenza who dropped the poker in a match in Reggio Emilia and returned to the three points after eight matches without success. One-sided match. D’Orazio opens the scoring with a header, Tutino doubles the lead with a curling shot. Reggiana isn’t there and in the second half the third knockout in a row increases its proportions with a brace at the end from Forte. Silani now has 39 points and is temporarily out of the danger zone.

Como avalanches on Feralpi, Venice conquers Lecco

Fifth victory in a row for Como which makes it 5 for the unfortunate Feralpisalò. At the Garilli in Piacenza, home to the Leoni del Garda’s home matches this season, the Como team win 5-2 and close to just three points behind Parma. The match, however, was opened by Feralpisalò who took the lead with Felici shortly after the quarter of an hour.

The joy does not last long: Cutrone first equalizes in the 21st minute and then doubles the score in the 39th minute and Barba in the middle in the 32nd minute, bringing Como to 3-1. However, the challenge is still alive and before the break Zennaro shortens the gap by reopening the contest. However, in the second half, the guests slipped away: Strefezza and Braunoder in the final set the score at 5-2. Feralpi at the second stop in a row, still penultimate but still in the game.

Venezia sweats but wins a comeback who in Lecco suffers the Lombards for over an hour in the last resort match to get back into the game and at least reach the play outs to avoid relegation to Serie C.

The dream of the Lombards lasted, as mentioned, little more than an hour. At Rigamonti-Ceppi Buso put Lecco ahead at the end of a lightning-fast counterattack with a spectacular finish by Buso at the far post. Deserved advantage. In the second half, however, the greater quality of the benches from the lagoon players takes over. With Gytkjaer, Zampano and Altare the game changes. Pohjanpalo equalized on an incorrect exit by the goalkeeper. The doubling of Vanoli’s team came from Busio’s shot from the edge deflected by Lepore. Venice is three points behind second-placed Como, six from the top and 4 ahead of Cremonese.

Lecco on the other hand is now done for: just the arithmetic (one point) and the sentence will be final.

Bari and Pisa draw 1-1

One point for one between Bari and Pisa who finish 1-1. At San Nicola, Federico Giampaolo’s debut on the Apulian bench began in the worst possible way because after 3′ Calabresi colded Brenno from the edge. In the first half Alberto Aquilani’s visiting team played better but did not push for the 2-0.

In the second half, Bari believes in it, Sibilli is close to equalizing but Nicolas avoids the former’s classic goal. Calabresi, protagonist of the goal at the start, touches it with his hand in his area and for the referee – after consulting the VAR – it is a penalty. Puscas is cold and displaces Nicolas from 11 meters to make it 1-1. At the end Nasti could give back the joy of the three points to Bari who haven’t won for over two months and nine rounds but Nicolas says no. Biancorossi still in the play out zone.

Six goalless games

If it’s not a record, we’re close but six matches remained goalless. Already mentioned about Palermo-Parma, the other five goalless matches were Brescia-Ternana, Ascoli-Modena, the big match between Catanzaro and Cremonese, the Ligurian derby between Spezia and Sampdoria and Sudtirol-Cittadella. There was no shortage of emotions.

At Rigamonti Ternana recriminates with two crossbars and two goals disallowed: first from a corner action Luperini tries several times from close range but Adorni responds without the ball entirely crossing the goal line. It took VAR to cancel a goal that had been validated. In the second half Dionisi crossed the crossbar and Lucchese scored but was offside. In the final, Brescia missed the goal with Jallow.

Catanzaro and Cremonese divide the game and freeze their respective positions, both had good opportunities, the Grigiorossi also hit the crossbar in the second half.

Ascoli forces a draw against Modena but still remains in the relegation zone. It’s okay that almost all direct opponents don’t win. There is great regret about the penalty saved by Gagno from Nestorovski.

Spezia and Sampdoria do not go beyond the 0-0 with the hosts complaining about a goal disallowed by Di Serio in the final, first granted then removed after consultation with the VAR because the action was born from a foul by the scorer of the undetected goal “with the naked eye”.

Sudtirol and Cittadella didn’t get hurt and the 0-0 gave both a useful point to sail in calm waters, far from any brawl. But a crossbar from Carissoni del Cettidalla stands out at the start. There were few opportunities on both sides.

Serie B, the results of the 34th matchday

Friday 19 April

• Palermo-Parma 0-0
• Reggiana-Cosenza 0-4

Saturday 20 April

• Brescia-Ternana 0-0
• Ascoli-Modena 0-0
• Bari-Pisa 1-1
• Feralpisalò-Como 2-5
• Catanzaro-Cremonese 0-0
• Lecco-Venice 1-2
• Spezia-Sampdoria 0-0
• Sudtirol-Cittadella 0-0

Classification

Parma 70 points; 67; Venice 64; Cremonese 60; Catanzaro 56; Palermo 52; Brescia 46; Sampdoria (-2) 45; Pisa and Cittadella 44; South Tyrol 43; Modena and Reggiana 40; Cosenza 39; Ternana 37; Bari and Spezia 36; Ascoli 34; Feralpisalò 31; Lecco 26.

Markers

Joel Pohjanpalo (Venice) 20 goals; Matteo Brunori (Palermo) and Gennaro Tutino (Cosenza) 15; Daniele Casiraghi (South Tyrol), Massimo Coda (Cremonese) 14; Patrick Cutrone (Como) and Pietro Iemmello (Catanzaro) 13.