LATINA-TARANTO 1-2
MARKERS Zonta (T) in the 27th minute, Simeri (T) in the 34th minute pt Mastroianni (L) in the 3rd minute
LATINA (3-4-3) Gain 6; De Santis 5.5 (from the 26th minute Capanni 5.5), Marino 5.5, Vona 5.5; Del Sole 6.5, Riccardi 6, Crecco 6, Ercolano 6; Paganini 5.5, Mastroianni 6.5 (from 22′ st Fabrizi 6), D’Orazio 6.5. (Cardinali, Fasolino, Perseu, Fella, Sorrentino, Scravaglieri, Di Renzo). Enclosure Fontana 5.5.
TARANTO (3-4-3) Vannucchi 6.5; Luciani 6, Riggio 6, Enrici 6.5; Valietti 6, Ladinetti 6 (from 14′ st Matera 6), Zonta 7, Ferrara 6 (from 34′ st Travaglini sv); Kanoute 6 (from 14′ st Orlando 6), Simeri 7 (from 34′ st De Marchi sv), Bifulco 6 (from 30′ st Fabbro 6). (Loliva, Costantino, Papaserio, Fiorani, Capone, Mastromonaco). All. Capuano 6.5.
REFEREE Drigo di Portogruaro 6.5.
NOTE Approximately 2,000 spectators. Taranto assistant coach Zangla expelled. Paganini, Marino, D’Orazio, Luciani booked. Corners 5-6.
In practice we experienced an advance playoff game. Taranto would play against Latina in the first round of the promotion play-offs, this is the verdict issued by the last round of the championship. The conditional sentence is mandatory while waiting to know the outcome of the appeal to the Coni Guarantee Board against -4 and which could lead to a postponement of the first regular post-season matches. However, the rossoblù did their duty, beating their Lazio rivals 2-1 away and obtaining the incredible figure of their twentieth victory of the season, currently finishing in fifth place. A success achieved in the first half with goals from Zonta and Simeri, protected in the second half despite Latina immediately halving the deficit with Mastroianni.
Penalty discussion aside, Taranto were still motivated: they could still reach the final fourth place, a position that would have allowed them to skip the first round of the playoffs. It didn’t just depend on the rossoblù, but the participation of Casertana had to contribute, which eventually would not have had to beat Sorrento. Capuano leaves Calvano at home to rest (in half space for Ladinetti), in defense in place of the suspended Miceli there is Riggio. Up front Simeri, Avellino’s enforcer, takes De Marchi’s place. Latina, fresh from three defeats in a row, lines up with an attacking 3-4-3 with Riccardi as a quality director. Even one point could be enough for the Lazio team, but you can’t joke too much. It is necessary to respect the contemporaneity on the ten fields, we wait a few more minutes. Latina, of the former Crecco and Vona, uses the entire width of the pitch. Del Sole is wide, Paganini plays the attacker, D’Orazio acts as the second striker, but starting from the left. In Taranto which uses the usual high pressure, Ladinetti has the task of directing the maneuver. Gain had to make a desperate exit at the start following the introduction of Kanoute. Vannucchi is no exception: in the 8th minute the rossoblù captain has to thwart a slap from Paganini and on the rebound he is ready to block D’Orazio’s diagonal shot. Kanoute moves a lot, tries to explore areas in which numerical superiority can emerge. Ferrara does not suffer Del Sole’s percussion at the start. The Lazio players love to set up from the bottom, but the rossoblù pinch in the pressing phase. From a high stolen ball, Bifulco serves Zonta who explodes a fireball from 25 meters that Guadagno touches in the corner. After twenty minutes the first round of the playoffs would say Taranto-Latina. Valietti and Ferrara, on the external lanes, begin to patrol the opposing half of the pitch. The whole of Taranto presides over the opposing area. In the 27th minute the advantage was born from a Kanoute-Simeri-Zonta triangulation, thanks to the docile left-footed lob made by the former Vicenza midfielder who confirmed his qualities as a confident midfielder with the goal. Fourth place lasts a few seconds because Casertana takes a 2-1 lead over Casertana. The home team’s reaction is a central header from Mastroianni. It represents a flash in the dark, because Taranto controls the match at will. The doubling is almost automatic. Simeri finds himself free in front of Guadagno after a deflection on Valietti’s shot: the shot is precise, the 2-0 more than pertinent. For the attacker it is the fourth center with the rossoblù shirt. D’Orazio’s initiatives are the most dangerous threats to the Ionians. Vannucchi in the 40th minute, cross from the left, is surpassed by a close touch from Del Sole which also hits the crossbar. Crecco also stimulates the goalkeeper’s concentration at the end of the half. Casertana, meanwhile, goes 3-1. Fifth place appears in fate. The Taranto-Latina match is strengthened as the first round of the playoffs also because Foggia, in the event of a victory in Monterosi, would reach the Lazio team but would remain behind due to the direct clashes. The referee pardons Paganini who, already with a yellow card on his back, should be booked for a foul on Kanoute.
No changes at the start of the second half, Latina tries to reopen the decidedly uphill match. He begins to plan the comeback already in the third with Mastroianni climbing onto Luciani’s shoulders and heading home a cross from De Santis to make it 1-2. A goal that restores enthusiasm to the hosts, even if Taranto remains unfazed and continues to press forward. Bifulco, growing, creates havoc in front of Guadagno with a series of dribbles. In the 11th minute D’Orazio shakes Vannucchi’s crossbar directly from a free kick. Latina pushes, coach Fontana got the shock he definitely needed at half-time. Capuano launches Orlando and Matera without changing the tactical structure. Taranto concedes a few too many free kicks in their own backcourt. Bifulco wastes an assist from Orlando (which went in well) on a favorable counterattack with poor control. Fontana relies on the backup striker Fabrizi and then with Capanni he unbalances his team even more (4-2-3-1). Taranto can exploit the spaces, also because they all have the legs to restart thanks to their remarkable athletic condition. There are also minutes for Travaglini and De Marchi. Del Sole increases his offensive play, a header from Capanni comes close to making it 2-2. Some trouble at the end, but the rossoblù manage to defend their narrow lead. It was a shock to know that, with points in hand, Capuano’s men would have finished in second place behind Juve Stabia. Fourth victory in a row for Taranto, fourth defeat in a row for Latina. But in the playoffs everything or almost everything goes to zero.
