Ascoli, 10 May 2024 – Del Duca greets team and company with one rain of whistles and very harsh protests. Ascoli returns to Serie C after 9 years: the dramatic sentence has arrived. Picchio beat Pisa 2-1 on the last day, but was relegated due to the results of the others. Before the match, many fans gathered at the beginning of Viale Costantino Rozzi to take part in the ‘Ascoli pride procession’. The Juventus people march compactly towards the stadium and then make their entrance.
During the night the macabre hanged mannequin depicting Pulcinelli with a protest banner aimed specifically at the patron. The very harsh protests they resume in the stands both before the starting whistle, during the match and above all after the finale. The comparison immediately gets on the hoped-for track, but it’s just a flash in the pan. In the absence of goals from the attackers, the goal-scoring defender Botteghin is still dragging Picchio. Del Duca explodes but it’s still early.
The dramatic evening has just begun. The Bianconeri held up well, but around the half-hour mark came bad news from other fields. The frost falls at the news of the advantages of Bari and Ternana. As the minutes passed, Pisa took courage and came close to equalizing with Moreo. In the second half the Nerazzurri confirmed their good first half finish and returned to the field with greater determination. It was D’Alessandro who put his signature on the guests’ equaliser. The attacking winger starts from the left and pulls off a splendid personal move. After missing three men, the precise strike into the corner is surgical. Il Picchio doesn’t fit and it’s Rodriguez who brings the home favorites back. However, on the pitch almost no one wants to celebrate. The ending is very bitter: Ascoli didn’t make it.
The scoreboard
ASCOLI-PISA 2-1 ASCOLI (3-4-2-1): Vasquez; Bellusci, Botteghin, Mantovani; Falzerano (from 20′ st Adjapong), Valzania (from 20′ st D’Uffizi), Masini, Zedadka (from 34′ st Celia); Caligara (from 34′ st Giovane), Rodriguez; Nestorovski (from 20′ st Di Tacchio). Bench: Viviano, Streng, Quaranta, Vaisanen, Tarantino, Milanese, Duris. Coach: Carrera. PISA (4-2-3-1): Nicolas; Barbieri, Canestrelli, De Vitis (from 28′ st Veloso), Beruatto; Marin, Valoti (from 28′ st Mlakar); Arena, Moreo (from 19′ st Bonfanti), D’Alessandro (from 41′ st Sala) Torregrossa (from 28′ st L. Tramoni). Bench: Loria, Campani, Trdan, Touré, Masucci, Piccinini. Coach: Aquilani. Referee: Rapuano from Rimini. Scorers: in the 12th minute Botteghin, in the 8th minute D’Alessandro, in the 23rd minute Rodriguez. Notes – 9,408 spectators (3,324 subscribers, share of 26,268.40 euros) for a total taking of 99,285.40 euros. Caligara booked, D’Uffizi for Ascoli, Marin for Pisa. Shots on target 4-4. Shots out 2-1. Offside 4-0. Corners 3-3. Recoveries: st 2′, st 3′.
