The bellicose intentions are shattered by the harsh law of ‘Partenio’. A place that blocks the way for Crotone’s desire to attack that seventh place which would have offered more favorable prospects from a playoff perspective. And instead from Avellino comes the ruling that places Crotone in ninth place, a condition that will put them in front of the challenge against Picerno, in Basilicata in a one-off match, with the rossoblù only forced to win to continue in the competition. It was necessary to win in Avellino to obtain what was hoped for, but a narrow and…penalty defeat resulted, at the end of a complicated match for the rossoblù, never dangerous in the offensive phase and who had also held up well except for surrendering in the final pierced by the penalty of Patierno generated by a lunge from Pazienza’s team, who demonstrated that they have more quality and resources to bring home the duel. Which is also worth second place, thanks to Benevento’s defeat in Catania. The framework of the first round of the playoffs includes the challenges between Taranto and Latina, Picerno-Crotone and Cerignola-Giugliano. But everything remains in the balance due to the appeal presented by Taranto against the 4 penalty points inflicted which could postpone the start of the play-offs while awaiting the final ruling.
THE MATCH
Lamberto Zauli deploys the usual 3-5-2 which sees the ‘goal twins’ Tumminello and Gomez at the center of the attack. The changes are seen in the other departments, retouched by the coach also in relation to the long list of those banned. In the middle of the field there are Zanellato, Vinicius and D’Errico with D’Ursi and Crialese on the outside. In defense there is room for Rispoli, Loiacono and Bove. Avellino banishes arguments linked to the protection of those within a ban, and Pazienza deploys the best possible team.
The stakes are high and can be felt from the respect and attitude of the two teams, proactive but also cautious, unwilling to grant space and meters to opponents who both possess record-breaking attacking pairs. Time passes and emotions are scarce, even if the intensity and attention is maximum on both fronts. Just before the twentieth minute, a shiver for D’Alterio’s goal, who did well to oppose Patierno’s poisonous conclusion, with Crialese completing the disengagement after the goalkeeper’s rejection. The Irpinia team tries to make more of the game while Crotone tries to break up possession with breaks to find the strikers, even if both Tumminello and Gomez find few gaps and clean balls to hurt, also thanks to errors in the dribbling that could have triggered potentially dangerous situations. However, Avellino also struggled to free their ‘mouths of fire’ and the pressure exerted shattered the good defensive position of the rossoblù.
The second half opens immediately with a forced substitution: Vinicius is forced to raise the white flag due to physical problems, Zauli chooses Kostadinov who places himself on the left midfield with Zanellato as point guard. Crotone continues to struggle to gain meters while also continuing to make a few too many errors in dribbling and choices in possession. On the other hand, Avellino wanted to speed up the game by increasing the pressure, while the rossoblù were slowly sucked in with Zauli trying to change the players by inserting Felippe and Giron to give greater balance. Zauli also loses Gomez who, in an attempt to cross for Tuminello, feels a pull behind his knee and asks for a substitution. In his place Comi. But the inertia lies with the Irpinians, who with time and insistence manage to penetrate the Pythagorean bunker, taking advantage of the naivety of Rispoli who clings to Sgarbi, provoking the penalty which top scorer Patierno coolly converts, reaching 20 points. The verdict is in, and the assault on seventh place remains only in the intentions. Ninth place is the finish line in the hands of Zauli’s men, who will now have to attack Picerno so as not to limit their playoff adventure to just one stage.
AVELLINO 1
CROTONE 0
MARKERS: 39’st rig. Patierno
AVELLINO: Ghidotti; Cancellotti, Rigione, Cionek; Ricciardi, De Cristofaro, Armellino, D’Ausilio (27’st Tito), Liotti (27’st Russo); Gori (12’st Sgarbi), Patierno (43’st Dall’Oglio). Available : Pane, Pizzella, Mulè, Frascatore, Llano, Palmiero, Pezzella, Rocca, Marconi, Tozaj. All. Patience
CROTONE: D’Alterio; Rispoli, Loiacono, Bove (31’st Giron); D’Ursi, Zanellato (31’st Felippe), Vinicius (1’st Kostadinov), D’Errico, Crialese; Tumminello, Gomez (18’st Comi). Available : Valentini, Martino, Gigliotti, Leo, Tribuzzi, D’Aprile, Ranieri, D’Angelo, Cantisani. All. Zauli
REFEREE: Vergaro of Bari
WARNINGS: Bove (C), Comi (C)
