From one fool to another. Never dangerous, without imagination and unable to react. Palermo loses again and falls to the brink, or rather… it sinks to the peak, losing 1-0 to Spezia on the thirty-sixth day of the Serie B championship. A goal from Di Serio decides just after the quarter of an hour of the first half, good at taking advantage a defensive mistake by Lund. Second consecutive defeat for the rosanero after the home defeat against Reggiana who continue not to win with Michele Mignani on the bench.
In five benches, the new coach of the Sicilians has only collected three draws and two knockouts. The team remains in sixth place waiting to know the results of Brescia and Sampdoria who are chasing and who could close the gap making the last 180 minutes of the championship “dramatic” for Palermo.
The success has now been missing for fifty days, i.e. since last March 10th when a goal by Nedelcearu gave the rosanero the three points on the Lecco pitch.
At the Picco in La Spezia, in the presence of the home team in search of important points for the survival tussle, another performance was achieved which was, to say the least, dull. Definitely disappointing and lacking bite. A team that was immediately eager for the Ligurians and that once conceded the goal never became truly dangerous.
Palermo, therefore, like the shrimp: only steps backwards and never an improvement in recent months. The bench change effect never actually materialized and the group appears more lost than ever. Running in vain, passes always horizontal or in the best of cases shot forward without ideas, without construction.
Starting in La Spezia
The first thrill of the match came from Spezia when in the 3rd minute Verdi intercepted a low clearance from Pigliacelli but hastened the conclusion by sending the ball high.
The rosanero’s reaction came shortly after: in the 6th minute Brunori’s free kick from a decentralized position was taken by Soleri in the area but the ball went out not by much.
In the 8th minute Spezia is still dangerous; tackle too soft for Di Francesco with Elia recovering the ball, passing it on the left and putting it in the center for Verde who once again misses the target by kicking over the crossbar.
Lund omelette, Di Serio takes Spezia forward
The match broke the deadlock shortly after the quarter of an hour in favor of Spezia. Bad mistake by Lund who tries with a back pass to serve Pigliacelli to restart the action: the touch is weak, Di Serio sneaks in and intercepts the ball, beating Pigliacelli on his exit, piercing him with a lob.
Palermo lacks reaction, Spezia tries to double the lead
The match sees the two teams stationed in midfield but Palermo is absent in attack and is unable to react while the home team tries to attack again without succeeding. However, in the 26th minute Vignali with an insidious cross-shot causes Pigliacelli to deflect it into the corner and, following the development of the corner, Verdi volleys a shot in good coordination but from a too tight position to create problems for the Rosanero goalkeeper who blocks without any problems.
Elia comes close to scoring his ex’s goal
In the 33rd minute Elia, a former rosanero player, comes into his own and with a nice shot from distance, not very high, sends shivers through the Palermo defence.
The Ligurians still search without precision for the doubling goal. Vignali’s header is not precise while Palermo wins the first corner in the 43rd minute with Buttaro but nothing happens from the next move. The referee sends the teams to the changing rooms after a minute of injury time in which Spezia, despite its limitations, deserved the advantage and the Sicilians did nothing.
Diakité tries, Zoet rejects
The second half opens with Palermo’s first “ring”. a strong but central shot from Diakité from distance is blocked by Zoet. It’s the first time the Sicilians showed up in attack in the entire match.
Ten minutes later the pinks reappeared in Zoet’s area and with a deflected shot from Gomes they obtained a new corner. The developments lead to a long range shot from Lund without any real danger.
First changes
D’Angelo, Spezia coach, makes the first substitution: Falcinelli comes out for Bandinelli. The tactical structure of the Ligurians changes slightly as they opt for a midfielder who however has a good offensive propensity.
Mignani responds by playing the Ranocchia card who comes on in place of Buttaro in the 62nd minute. The midfielder comes on in place of the winger.
Little or nothing in the second half
Nothing significant in the second half. Except for exchanges. A quarter of an hour from the ninetieth minute, Di Serio and Verde come out in Nello Spezia for Kouda and Pio Esposito
Di Francesco misses the target
Palermo is in flames but little remains. In the 78th minute Di Francesco did well to turn in the area and shoot not far from the near post.
In the 81st minute Gomes and Brunori come out for Henderson and Mancuso. Captain becomes Lucioni. Mignani tries to stir things up. And shortly after he brings Traore into the fray in place of Diakité. Now there is little to defend.
But Palermo is practically absent in attack and indeed Salvatore Esposito from Spezia challenges Pigliacelli from distance. The match director indicates six minutes of injury time. Period of time in which the pinks never managed to finish.
The scoreboard
Spezia-Palermo 1-0
Spice: Zoet; Mateju, Hristov, Nikolaou; Elia, Nagy, S. Esposito, Vignali; Verde (from 75′ Pio Esposito), Falcinelli (from 58′ Bandinelli), Di Serio (from 75′ Kouda). Trainer Luca D’Angelo. Available: Zovko, Wisniewski, Reca, Tanco, Bertola, Kouda, Jagello, Candelari, Pio Esposito, Moro, Cipot.
Palermo: Pigliacelli; Diakité (from 85′ Traore), Lucioni, Ceccaroni; Buttaro (Ranocchia from 62′), Segre, Gomes (Henderson from 81), Lund, Di Francesco; Brunori (Mancuso since ’81), Soleri. Trainer Michele Mignani. Available: Desplanches, Karuninc, Graves, Stualc, Insigne, Marconi, Nedelcearu.
Referee: Pezzuto from Lecce. Assistants Berti (Prato and Miniutti (Maniago). 4th man: Lovison from Padua. Var: Marini from Roma 1. Avar: Longo S. from Paola.
Networks: Di Serio in the 16th minute
Note. Warned Esposito (Spezia), Vignali (Spezia), Ranocchia (Palermo), Di Serio (Spezia), Mancuso (Palermo), Di Francesco (Palermo).
Recoveries: 1′ and 6′
