A draw regained with courage and determination. A game to rub your eyes, for a dominance for almost a full hour of play, punctuated only by two goals conceded and which came from a corner kick and a counterattack. Moreo took care of shortening the result after goals from Pontisso and Ambrosino, capable of taking over the development of a corner. Then it’s Marin who pulls the rabbit out of the hat with a great goal from outside the area, leaving the pitch like a gladiator. But tonight it’s a great Pisa and the Nerazzurri played with fire in their veins, with attributes and determination. And we saw a very classy match, undoubtedly the best and most beautiful of the championship. If this is Aquilani’s Pisa, it can say the same thing about him until the end.
Against Catanzaro to keep the playoff dream alive. At the Arena Garibaldi, a highly appealing challenge is being staged, against the fifth strength of the tournament, one of the revelations, or rather the revelation of the championship, as a terrible newly promoted team. Aquilani and his boys are called upon to confirm their three consecutive home victories, after a draw obtained in Bari between ups and downs. The Nerazzurri coach confirms the four-man defense with Barbieri, Caracciolo, Canestrelli and Beruatto, the latter preferred to Calabresi, ahead of Nicolas, solid between the posts. In midfield Marin and Esteves act as always in front of the defensive department, while in the attacking midfield there are Arena, Valoti and D’Alessandro behind the lone striker Bonfanti. Crowd for special occasions with 8,525 spectators present, a seasonal record, ahead of the matches against Parma and Palermo. The goal is therefore to try, until the end. This is the categorical imperative for Pisa Sporting Club. The ranking speaks for itself. The Nerazzurri have 44 points, just one point behind Sampdoria, in eighth place, and two behind Brescia, seventh.
FIRST HALF – After less than a minute and a half, Pontisso, following a corner taken by Vandeputte, comes from behind and volleys the ball, freezing the Nerazzurri, who had started immediately by pressing very high. Thus Catanzaro takes the lead. In the 12th minute Canestrelli sees D’Alessandro and verticalizes the movement, the number 77 anticipates Fulignati’s exit, but his shot just barely grazes the post and ends up wide. A minute later Beruatto shoots from the edge, the ball is deflected by Arena, but Fulignati takes refuge in the corner like a cat. In the 28th minute, a great opportunity for the Nerazzurri following a disengagement error by the guests, with a wrong back pass that triggers Valoti, but he arrives late for his appointment with the ball. In the 31st minute the Nerazzurri counterattacked with Barbieri getting a corner following an excellent lead. A minute later Arena, from the edge, challenges Fulignati, but so far, beyond the goal conceded, it is Aquilani’s best Pisa of the season. In the 43rd minute Beruatto catches Valoti on a free kick, but once again the ball grazes the post to Fulignati’s left.
SECOND HALF – After 30 seconds Pisa comes very close to scoring. Arena catches Bonfanti, but the number 9 hits the crossbar. Very unlucky Nerazzurri. The action ends a minute after a shot from home by Canestrelli which ends well over the crossbar. In the 47th minute Marin steals a ball, but the shot is too central and Fulignati blocks it to the ground. The Nerazzurri dominate this match for large stretches and Rafrain is the same as in the first half. Pisa again in the 56th minute with a bomb from outside the area by Barbieri, however central and easy for Fulignati to catch. In the 64th minute, however, Catanzaro doubled their lead with Ambrosino who took advantage of a perfect counterattack. In the 68th minute D’Alessandro also tries, but his shot is high over the crossbar. Triple substitution for Aquilani who inserts Mlakar, Tramoni and Moreo for Bonfanti, V aloti and Arena, then in the 74th minute Beruatto challenges Fulignati and the Nerazzurri get a corner. Precisely from this corner Moreo stands out above everyone and shortens the distance. In the 79th minute Aquilani also brings in Touré for Esteves. In the 81st minute Marin, also thanks to a defender’s deflection, found the net with a great shot from distance. The Romanian himself leaves as a gladiator due to cramps, replaced by De Vitis. In the 87th minute Moreo again, with a header from a corner, finds Fulignati’s gloves.
PISA-CATANZARO SCORESHEET
PISA (4-2-3-1): Nicolas; Barbieri, Caracciolo, Canestrelli, Beruatto; Marin (84′ De Vitis), Esteves (79′ Touré); Arena (72′ M. Tramoni), Valoti (72′ Mlakar), D’Alessandro; Bonfanti (72′ Moreo). Available Loria, Hermannsson, L. Tramoni, Torregrossa, Masucci, Calabresi, Piccinini. All. Aquilani
CATANZARO (4-4-2): Fulignati; Situm (33′ Oliveri), Antonino, Brighenti (82′ Veroli), Scognamillo; Sounas, Petriccione, Pontisso (59′ Pompetti), Vandeputte; Ambrosino (74′ Brignola), Biasci (59′ Iemmello). Available: Sala, Borrelli; Verna, Krajnc, Donnarumma. Coach Vivarini
REFEREE: Matteo Gualtieri from Asti
NETWORKS: 2′ Pontisso, 64′ Ambrosino, 74′ Moreo, 81′ Marin
WARNINGS: Caracciolo, Pontisso, Situm, Valoti
NOTE: Spectators 8,525 (season record), of which 5007 season ticket holders. Recovery 1′ pt, 5′ st
