May 18, 2024, 10.58pm
5 min read
CATANIA – Catania reaches the quarter-finals of the play-offs promotion to Serie B despite losing the return match against Atalanta U23 1-0.
In a “Maximinus” which is bubbling with enthusiasm, the boys coached by Michele Zeoli resist the overwhelming supremacy of the young men from Bergamo who come close to taking the lead several times… beating a Furlan in a graceful evening.
Etna goalkeeper saves everything… even if he has to surrender to Diao’s useless goal which, with the time expired, just creates some worries… before the final whistle confirms the qualification of the Etna team (victorious in the first leg with the minimum difference) for the next round.
Atalanta starts at full speed and immediately puts Catania in difficulty. The Orobic team shut down the home team in their own half of the field and repeatedly created the conditions to break the deadlock.
Furlan, however, had an evening of grace and avoided capitulation several times by rejecting the shots of Capone and Ghislandi in the opening minutes.
Catania, with Chiricò on the pitch and Di Carmine on the bench, relies above all on the throw-in game, collecting a wonderful opportunity wasted by Cicerelli who, from an excellent position, does not take advantage of Chiricò’s assist fed by Cianci.
It’s just a flash because Atalanta becomes threatening again but Furlan is still sumptuous on the attempts of Cisse and Diao.
In the second half, Zeoli immediately throws Marsura and Tello into the fray in place of Chiricò and Cicerelli. The plot does not change: Atalanta attacks with their heads down and Furlan shows off decisive interventions in a series on Vlahovic, Varnier and Cisse.
However, spaces open up on the counterattack but Marsura… while not skimping on energy, is not very clear in front of goal and wastes great opportunities to score, emulated by Zamamrini and Ndoj. The match seemed to start at 0-0 but, in the second minute of injury time, the Etna defense paid dearly for a carelessness on a corner and Diao deflected his header into the net.
Catania are not there and, just before the final whistle, Castellini hits the post with the goalkeeper beaten with a shot from the edge of the box. Then… the liberating scream of the fans for the qualification obtained. In fact, with equal results, Catania advances as the top seed.
The latter is an advantage that the rossozzurri will not have in the quarter-finals. In the first leg, scheduled for Tuesday 21 May, Quaini and his teammates will face “Maximinus” the opponent designated by the draw scheduled for Sunday morning at 9.30, with the return match away on Saturday 25th.
CATANIA – ATALANTA U23 0-1
CATANIA FC (3-5-2) – Furlan, Bouah, Monaco (from 41st Ndoj)Quaini, Castellini (k), Celli, Welbech, Zammarini (from 37th st Kontek)Cicerelli (from 1st Tello)Chirico (from 1st Marsura)Cianci (from 29th st Di Carmine).
Available: Albertoni, Donato, Curado, Rapisarda, Chiarella, Sturaro, Haveri, Costantino.
Trainer: Michele Zeoli.
ATALANTA U23 (3-4-2-1) Vismara, Solcia (from 10th Muhameti)Varnier (from 22nd Comi)Ghislandi, Palestra, Jimenez, Gyabuaa, Bernasconi, De Nipoti (from 24th pt Diao)Capone (k) (from 10th Vlahovic)Cisse.
Available: Avogadri, Bertini, Berto, Masi, Regonesi, Falleni.
Trainer: Francesco Modesto.
Referee: Marco Emmanuel of Pisa.
Assistants: Francis Roman (Isernia) and Nicola Morea (Molfetta).
Fourth official: Ermes Fabrizio Knight (Paola).
VAR: Louis Born (Bari).
AVAR: Savior Longo (Paola).
Networks: 47th st Diao (ATA).
Note: Before the kick-off, a minute of silence was observed in memory of Cesare Fogliazzamanager of Pergolettese, recently deceased.
Disqualified:Ceresoli (ATA).
Beware: Panada (ATA); Celli (CT); Di Carmine (CT); Castellini (CT); Tello (CT). Capone, Cisse, Gyabuaa, Jimenez, Palestra, panada (ATA).
Unavailable: Bethers, Silvestri, Peralta (CT).
Ammonites: Solcia (ATA); Chiricò (CT); Cianci (CT);
Spectators: 19,739
News
first half (0-0)
Capone’s 3rd great shot from the edge: Furlan deflects a diving corner;
4th Quaini saves a dangerous cross by sending his header into the corner;
6th dangerous shot by Ghislandi which Furlan lifts into the corner with his fingertips;
10th free kick from distance by Cicerelli: Vismara saves centrally;
11th on Cisse’s incursion… Quaini and Bouah manage to contain the attacker; Bouah remains on the ground but returns to the field after treatment;
18th great chance for Catania: Cianci launches Chiricò… ready to serve the onrushing Cicerelli who, from an excellent position, shoots high over the crossbar!
21st Welbeck recovers the ball in the midfield but then… shoots wide;
24th in the Atalanta U23, the injured De Nipoti gives way to Diao;
27th shot by Ghislandi: muffled and easy prey for Furlan;
28th great diagonal of Cisse which crosses the entire mirror of the goal and exits from the opposite side; n
29th Bernasconi misses the header from an excellent position;
33° Castellini triangulates with Zammarini but is unable to kick towards the opponent’s goal due to opposition from an opponent;
37th ball-goal for Atalanta: restart by Diao who serves Cisse… alone in front of Furlan: the red and blue goalkeeper gets excited and miraculously clears it for a corner;
38° Furlan repeats himself by rejecting Diao’s close shot!
44° Chiricò tries directly on a free kick from the right side: the ball just flies over the crossbar;
45° granted 4 minutes of recovery;
49th first half of suffering for Catania: it ends goalless.
Second half (0-1)
1st in Catania, Tello and Marsura take the place of Cicerelli and Chiricò;
4th Furlan deflects Capone’s diagonal dive!
10th in Atalanta U23, Vlahovic and Muhameti take over from Capone and Solcia;
12th Cianci launches Tello whose conclusion hits the crossbar. The action, however, was null and void because Cianci had committed a foul on an opponent (Varnier) and was booked;
16th Cianci wins a tackle at twenty meters and throws a low diagonal shot that goes just wide;
18th Furlan monumental: he opposes Vlahovic’s close attempt with a desperate exit,
19th Furlan still on top: he deflects Varmier’s shot with a dive;
20th on Marsura’s cross… Zammarini, with his head, sends the ball out;
22nd in the Atalanta U23, Comi takes Varnier’s place;
23rd Celli shoots at the bottom;
26th solo sprint by Marsura who, very tired, shoots to the side,
28° Marsura, launched by Tello, appears again in front of Marsura but makes a mistake;
29th in Catania, Di Carmine takes the place of an exhausted Cianci;
37th in Catania, Zammarini gives way to Kontek;
41st in Catania, Ndoj takes over the injured Monaco;
45° granted 5 minutes of recovery;
47th goal for Atalanta U23: on the cross from the flag… Hell heads the ball into the net: 0-1 !
50° Marsura wastes a restart but wins a free kick;
51st sensational pole hit by Castellini!
51°,30 ends 0-1! Catania advances to the quarter-finals – play-offs!
Published on
May 18, 2024, 10.58pm
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