Palermo says goodbye to promotion dreams. The rosanero lose 2-1 against Venezia in the semi-final second leg of the Serie B playoffs. The lagoon players qualify for the final which puts Serie A up for grabs and will face the winner of Cremonese-Catanzaro in the double match on 30 May and 2 June .
Mignani (photo Palermo Fc Facebook) sends Di Mariano onto the left and Insigne on the attacking midfield line with Brunori behind Soleri. Completing the team in front of goalkeeper Pigliacelli, in place of the injured Desplanches, are Graves, Lucioni and Marconi in defence; Diakité, Segre and Ranocchia in midfield.
Despite the offensive traction, Venezia immediately took the lead with Tessmann in the 4th minute who took aim from outside the area and, without any opposition, put the ball behind the Rosanero goalkeeper, who was not without his faults. Venezia leaves the initiative to Palermo and becomes dangerous with verticalisations well managed by Pohjanpalo, capable of sorting the ball and going for the conclusion.
The Rosanero would also have the ball to equalize with a header from Segre in the 26th minute, but Joronen outdoes himself and lifts the ball from the top corner for a corner. Pigliacelli also performs a miracle, in the 30th minute on Busio’s header from close range, but can do nothing in the 43rd minute when Palermo concedes the second goal with an action that develops rapidly on the left with Lella serving Zampano on the cut in the area, ball in the middle for Candela who scores into an empty net.
Mignani leaves Marconi and Graves in the locker room at the end of the first half, inserts Neldecearu and Aurelio and switches to 4-3-3. But the match remains channeled along the same lines as the first half with Venezia in control and Palermo incapable of building play. Mignani also brings in Di Francesco in place of Insigne, then Mancuso for Brunori and Traorè for Soleri. Traorè himself, shortly before the end of the match, finds the shot deflected by Svoboda which sets the result at 2-1. Useless goal, Venezia goes to the final.
VENICE-PALERMO 2-1
VENICE (3-5-2): Joronen 7; Idzes 6, Svoboda 6, Sverko 6.5 (20′ st Altare 6); Candela 7, Lella 6.5 (15′ st Gytkaer 6), Tessmann 7.5, Busio 7 (35′ st Jajalo sv), Zampano 7.5; Pierini 7 (15′ st Ellertsson 6.5), Pohjanpalo 6.5 (20′ st Olivieri 6). On the bench: Bertinato, Grandi, Modolo, Bjarkason, Cheryshev, Dembelè, Andersen. Coach: Vanoli 7.5
PALERMO (3-4-2-1): Pigliacelli 6; Graves 5 (1′ st Nedelcearu 6), Lucioni 5.5, Marconi 5.5 (1′ st Aurelio 5.5); Diakité 5, Segre 6.5, Ranocchia 6, Di Mariano 5.5; Insigne 5 (11′ st Di Francesco 6.5), Brunori 6 (16′ st Mancuso 6); Soleri 5.5 (31′ st Traorè 6.5). On the bench: Kanuric, Lund, Gomes, Stulac, Vasic, Buttaro, Henderson. Coach: Mignani 5.5
REFEREE: Pairetto by Nichelino 6
NETWORKS: 4′ pt Tessmann, 43′ pt Candela, 41′ st aut. Svoboda.
NOTE: spectators approximately 11,000 with 304 visiting fans. Booked: Graves, Joronen, Tessmann, Zampano, Di Francesco. Corners: 4-5. Recovery time: 1′, 4′.
