It was an overall favorable round for the two Calabrian teams from Serie B. Cosenza won again with a poker victory over Bari which smells of salvation, Catanzaro, despite the many defections, drew in Pisa, demonstrating once again that they are on the ball ahead of the playoffs.
The Viali cure and Calò’s explosion
Just as it happens for Gennaro Tutino for about ten months now, we could start saying the same thing William Avenues: the Cosenza environment revives him and makes him a better man. More than other realities. Vaprio d’Adda’s coach took a while to understand this simple thing and, in his words from last March, that magic searched in vain in Ascoli after the miraculous Brescia playoffs, he had risked losing her forever. She found it partly by chance and partly because someone in the control rooms understood, more or less, that it was necessary to conclude a speech that had been interrupted halfway. A speech that she still had more to tell. And Viali in Cosenza still seems to have many things to tell. Generally, when the results arrive we are quick to jump on the winners’ bandwagon and praise those who didn’t think they were up to the task. So today it is normal and also right – why not? – that everyone wants to take the Lombard coach to the stars which just like a year ago, but with much less time available, started badly and then brought the enthusiasm that was missing back to the Bruzio environment. It’s right because the Wolves, after the resounding victory against Bari, which comes after the sensational one in Reggio Emilia, are a few meters away from yet another sigh of relief in their recent history. Viali’s main ability, beyond the tactics and choices made on the pitch, was to provide stimuli, new words and motivations to a team (and consequently to the fans) who seemed hopelessly lost and scared even at the mere thought of having to take the field. Even those who asked, after the defeat against the usual Brescia, the return of Caserta, was surprised by the resurrections of elements who should have felt at ease with Caserta on the command bridge. We mainly talk about Giacomo Calò and Francesco Forteliterally reinvented and reborn by the new treatment.
And now? First of all, we need to close the season as best we can (and quickly), and then think about the next tournament. Which, with a few more quality men and the reconfirmation (impossible?) of Tutino, this time he could bring the playoff zone closer not only in words. But, considering who’s running the whole show, it’s advisable to keep your feet firmly on the ground.
Cream: Tutino’s sixteenth center of the season (what does he do? Does he stay in “his” Cosenza to try to take it to the top or does he want to take a chance in Serie A?), D’Orazio’s two assists after the goal in Reggio Emilia (and to think that until twenty days ago Frabotta seemed irreplaceable), the serpentines of an always inspired Marras, the dirty work of Mazzocchi, the finally emptied head of Forte. Above all, they are the protagonists of the rossoblù rebirth. Them together with those who deserve the award for best this week. We’re talking about Giacomo Calò, and not just for the Pirlo-style free kick (first goal for the rossoblù) with which he knocked Bari out in the most difficult moment of the match. The director from Trieste seems to have finally returned to his former splendors for barely a month now. The angry and tearful celebration under the Curva Nord demonstrates how attached he feels to a place that has not spared him criticism in the past. And that chorus (“how Calò kicks”) at least for one day was able to erase everything, even that January in which his name had been put somewhat surprisingly on the list of starters.
Bitterness: eight goals in two games, eight points in four, spectacular maneuvers, victories, courage, the ability to suffer and come out of the most complex situations. The question that many will have asked themselves from last Saturday to today is the following: what is the real Cosenza? The one admired in the last two games or the previous version? Maybe both and neither. Or, simply, due to the bench change arriving after the deadline, we will never know. (Francesco Veltri)
Catanzaro: a regret and the weapon a more Ambrosino
Just equal that is worth the mathematical certainty of disputing i play-offs. Catanzaro returns from Pisa with an important result but with a hint of regret. Ahead by two goals, thanks to the first goal of the season by Pontisso and Ambrosino’s third, the eagles let themselves be overtaken by Aquilani’s team and are forced to settle for a point. A point which, as mentioned, is worth the play-offs (about which there were no great doubts) but which does not allow us to take full advantage of Cremonese’s new misstep in the direct clash at Venezia’s home. Stroppa’s team remains stuck at 60 points, firmly in fourth place, with Catanzaro 3 points away with three days to go in the regular season.
Returning to the 90 minutes of the Arena Garibaldi, it should be underlined cynicism of the Giallorossi capable of overcoming Pisa at the first useful opportunities. Two shots on target = two goals, the statistics will eventually say, while the home Nerazzurri’s missed chances will be many more. Catanzaro who suffered too much? Maybe yes. But the state of emergency must be taken into due consideration with which Vivarini’s team approached the match. Iemmello feverish remained on the bench and only used in the second half, Ghion and D’Andrea now in the pits (the season is over for them) and the physical problems also suffered by Miranda and Stoppa that they took away from Vivarini valid alternatives on the bench. It wasn’t the best Catanzaro we’ve seen this season, that’s for sure, but there are also the opponents on the pitch and the motivation and hunger of Aquilani’s team, in addition to the intensity of the pressing on the Giallorossi ball carriers and the aggression with which the hosts also went to recover the ball in the opponent’s area, they should certainly be praised.
The play-offs are a certainty, fifth place is firmly in place (Palermo follows by 5 points) and fourth remains just a stone’s throw away…
Cream: Ambrosino’s return to scoring is undoubtedly the most positive aspect. The 2003 player owned by Napoli returns to inflate the net after more than 4 months (he hadn’t scored since the 2-3 home draw against Brescia on 23 December 2023) and punishes Pisa again who he had already punished at Ceravolo last 9 December. It is, therefore, only the third goal of the season for the young striker of the Under21 national team on whom Catanzaro is banking a lot. Vivarini appreciates his technical characteristics and spirit of sacrifice and is regularly preferring him to someone like Tommaso Biasci already in double figures (10 goals) in his first real experience in Serie B. Having found Ambrosino also in goals, an aspect that was starting to weigh on him and not a little, it could be the extra weapon for Catanzaro in the next play-offs to be faced with a lightness of mind with which the Giallorossi team has never approached the promotion play-offs.
Bitterness: if the draw mathematically gives the play-offs to Catanzaro, the comeback suffered from 0-2 to 2-2 cannot be easily digested. With Ambrosino’s goal to make it 0-2 in the 63rd minute, the game seemed to be over for Brighenti and his teammates. Then the usual defensive amnesia (which now seemed to have disappeared with Antonini) gives Moreo the chance to score the 1-2 ball undisturbed and Pompetti’s unfortunate deflection does the rest on the former Marin’s shot from outside. Fair comeback, it must be said. Pisa would not have deserved to lose considering the amount of opportunities created and Fulignati’s result-saving interventions. Did the motivations make a difference? Did Pisa have more? Few alternatives for Vivarini on the bench? Aspects to think about in view of the post-season. (Stefania Scarfò)
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