We also experienced this: the indiscreet charm of the draw, the extraction of the ball, the reading of the name of one’s team with the appropriate wording, the pairing by lot.
Taranto will then face Vicenza in the first round of the national playoff phase, coached by Stefano Vecchi (13 wins, six draws, one defeat) who took over from Diana halfway through the season, finishing third in group A. A team that has always fielded a 3- 5-2 very solid. The Venetians have returned from sixteen useful results in a row, they had the striker with 12 goals in Ferrari. It’s an opponent you don’t know, it was Capuano’s hidden desire to play with an opponent from his own group to have recognized indications when calculating the strategy to be implemented. In a few hours it will be a full immersion to study the strengths and weaknesses of an opponent who on paper appeared among the most insidious.
A double line of reasoning persists: there is the emotional aspect and from this point of view Taranto as a whole radiates heat in an unspeakable way. One can imagine what could have been unleashed in terms of attendance and participation in an accessible and functional Iacovone, with full capacity available at its maximum. With this fuel supplied, every trip can have no limit. There is the technical aspect which, however, takes a backseat to the athletic aspect, the one which is quietly worrying a lot. Calvano, Kanoute, Simeri, De Marchi to talk about those who live with annoying problems. And then Ladinetti and Zonta came out tired against Picerno. These playoffs, compressed like never before, offer no respite. The night after Picerno was certainly turbulent due to the high level of adrenaline in the body. Time to do the counting and it will already be finishing. In between the preparation of the tactical plan. Recovering and training becomes complicated. Ezio Capuano is transforming into an alchemist (every choice or assignment of responsibility is rewarded with maximum performance), into a psychologist (convincing the group that the goal is still far away and that every match is the stage of a dream). However, he remains a top-level coach, now praised every time he enters the field, supported by happy intuitions. Without Calvano the team cannot tolerate a pure trident. Here is the return to the 3-5-2 with the midfield baton handed over to Ladinetti, without losing the qualities of intensity and constant pressure. The attackers rotated wildly and in the end Capuano always managed to find the winning combination. Now the next double round, with the obligation of having to win at least one match due to the unseeded condition, requires a return to goals. The last two 0-0s were the result of random astral conjunctions, certainly not of speculation and parsimony in terms of courage. Ferrara’s incursion that came close to scoring in the 95th minute when the 0-0 and qualification were almost within their grasp, underlines Taranto’s desire to believe until the last available second that they could mark the match. Breath, lungs and legs permitting, against any opponent the rossoblù can put this important attitude on the table. Perhaps Taranto will be stripped of their status as favourites, but certainly as their coach underlined in the conference, respect will need to be shown to them. Whoever wants to overcome the Ionian team must do so with merit on the pitch, perhaps relying on the return match. Because Taranto, certainly, will not fight alone.
These are the other matches scheduled for Tuesday 14 March: Perugia-Carrarese; Juventus Nex Gen-Casertana; Triestina-Beneevnto; Atalanta Under 23-Catania.
