At 8.30pm at Partenio Lombardi the return leg of the quarter-final match of the Serie C play-offs between Avellino and Catania. In the first leg the Rossazzurri beat the Irpinia team 1-0 with Cianci’s goal. Catania therefore just needs not to lose to go through. Whoever wins will have to deal with the winner of Vicenza Padova, in the first leg 2-0 for the Vicenza team.
Zeoli confirmed the 3-5-2 with the new Ndoj in midfield in place of Zammarini who was one of the doubts on the eve because he was injured. Tello still starts in midfield as happened in the first leg match. The Catania coach also confirmed the Cianci-Di Carmine pairing, leaving Chiricò on the bench. At Avellino, coach Pazienza’s tactical revolution: a 4-3-1-2 and no longer 3-5-2 with D’Ausilio in charge of ensuring numerical superiority, with Sgarbi behind the strikers Gori and Patierno.
The formation of Catania
Zeoli’s choices: 3 5 2 with 22 Furlan; 46 Monaco, 16 Quaini, 27 Castellini (K); 13 Bouah, 6 Ndoj, 23 Welbeck, 7 Tello, 30 Cicerelli; 10 Di Carmine (VK), 90 Cianci. 95 Albertoni on the bench; 14 Kontek, 28 Celli; 5 Rapisarda, 31 Chiarella, 8 Sturaro, 19 Peralta, 3 Haveri, 77 Marsura; 32 Chiricò, 9 Costantino.
The formation of Avellino
Pazienza’s choices: Ghidotti; Cancellotti, Rigione, Frascatore, Liotti; De Cristofaro, Armellino, D’Ausilio; Sgarbi; Gori, Patierno. Available Pane, Pizzella, Ricciardi, Tito, Llano, Mulè, Cionek, Palmiero, Pezzella, Dall’Oglio, Rocca, Russo, Lores Varela, Marconi.
Who referees
The referee of the match is Andrea Bordin from Bassano del Grappa; the assistants are Antonio D’Angelo from Perugia and Stefano Franco from Padua. Fourth official Carlo Rinaldi also from Bassano del Grappa. VAR Antonio Di Martino from Teramo, AVAR Daniele Minelli from Varese.
Where to see it on TV
The game will be played at 8.30pm with the Avellino stadium which will be packed, with few visiting fans, with the live broadcast on Sestarete free-to-air and on Sky and Now for a fee and with connections also on Telecolor.
The match
First 5 minutes, Avellino pushes but doesn’t sting. Catania defends with order.
At 9′ GOOOOOLLLLLLLL: On the development of a lateral foul Cianci is a vulture!
Avellino reacted in the 13th minute: Patierno didn’t take advantage of a loose ball in the Catania area and shot skyrocketing.
In the 16th minute Cirelle severely challenges Ghidotti from 30 meters who deflects for a corner. Then Tello shoots very high from outside the area.
23′ Avellino tries to react but Catania seems in control.
In Avellino it rains with a fair amount of intensity. Extremely slippery pitch.
25′ D’Ausilio shoots from outside the area: the shot is strong but ends up high with Furlan in control.
36′ Avellino seems to have suffered the blow and is unable to be truly dangerous. Catania is often seen in the Irpinia half of the pitch.
45′ One minute of added time. The first half ends: Catania ahead 1 to 0 thanks to Cianci’s opening goal.
46′ Off we go! There are no changes.
49′ Zeoli changes: Cicerelli comes out in Celli.
50′ Good opportunity for Catania but Di Cermine misses the finish.
51′ GOOOLLLL AVELLINO: Liotti scores from the edge of the corner into the top corner and it’s 1 to 1
Catania did not return to the field concentrated and Avellino is pushing to try to turn the match around.
63′ Zeoli tries to ease Avellino’s pressure: Ndoj and Di Carmine come out, Kontek and Marsura come on.
65′ Cianci heads the ball away but the ball comes from high. Good opportunity for the red and blue bomber.
66′ Cianci is hypnotized alone in front of the goalkeeper. But maybe he would have been off side.
70′ Avellino goes all out in search of the qualifying goal: Liotti exits and Russo enters, Marconi also enters in place of Gori. Pazienza brings in two more attackers and now it’s a hyper offensive Avellino.
75′ Avellino produces maximum effort in search of the qualifying goal.
78′ Diagonal by Sgarbi, but Furlan is safe.
79′ Zeoli tries to ease the Irpinian pressure: Sturaro and Costantino come on, Tello replaces him and Cianci is exhausted.
83′ GOOOLLLLL AVELLINO: Russo sinks like a knife through butter on the left flank. From one of his actions D’Ausilio shoots a bomb from the spot and beats Furlan.
There are five minutes of added time. Catania must play for everything.
95′ It ends here. Avellino passes, Catania eliminated.
