It cannot be said that Cremonese didn’t try, the statistics say that the grey-reds shot towards the post 16 times against the hosts’ 8, challenging Joronen (the real protagonist of this double final) on 7 occasions. Venezia, after the initial outburst, suffered the grey-red pressing, with Sernicola (an excellent game from him), who came close to the net with a curling shot. After a couple of failed attempts by Pickel and Tsadjout, a restart by Pohjanpalo offers Busio the decisive assist for Gytkjaer who makes no mistake and effectively closes the match. Venezia, aware of the fact that the Grigiorossi have to score 2 goals, closes in on their own half of the pitch, leaving the ball to Cremonese. Tsadjout and Castagnetti try again, but Joronen is careful. The score doesn’t change in the second part of the match, which takes place between nervousness and some flare-ups from the grey-reds who see their dream of promotion vanish in the 90’+6′ minute.
In the heat of the moment it is difficult for everyone to make any assessments on this championship, but net of the team’s and Stroppa’s unfortunate run-up, the club must once again make amends for some choices made at the start of the season, which have in fact had a negative impact on this end of the season. But there will be time to talk about this. The fans must thank Stroppa and the team, because despite the football that compromised direct promotion, they really gave it their all.
BKT SERIES 2023/024 Playoff final (return)
Sunday 2 June 2024, 8.30 pm Penzo Stadium, Venice.
VENICE-CREMONESE 1-0 (1-0)
NETWORKS: 24′ Gytkjaer (W).
VENICE (3-5-2): Joronen; Idzes, Svoboda, Sverko (79′ Altare); Candela (79′ Andersen), Busio (59′ Lella), Tessmann, Bjarkason (79′ Dembelè), Zampano; Gytkjaer (56′ Pierini), Pohjanpalo. Coach: Paolo Vanoli
CREMONESE (3-5-2): Saro; Antov (86′ Quagliata), Ravanelli, Bianchetti; Zanimacchia (71′ Falletti), Pickel, Castagnetti, Buonaiuto (45′ Collocolo), Sernicola (86′ Ciofani); Vazquez (45′ Coda), Tsadjout. Coach: Giovanni Stroppa
REFEREE: Mr. Simone Sozza from the Seregno section.
Assistants: Mr. Stefano Alassio from Imperia and Mr. Valerio Colarossi from Rome 2. Fourth official: Mr. Matteo Marcenaro from Genoa. Var: Mr. Paolo Valeri of Rome 2. A-Var: Valerio Marini of Rome 1.
WARNED: Vazquez, Sernicola (C), Sverko, Idzes, Candela (V).
RECOVERIES:2’/6′
MATCH REPORT:
Great public spectacle at the Penzo in Venice, for the return match of the Serie B playoff final. Stroppa, in the starting eleven, changes Coda e Collocolo by inserting Tsadjout.
7′ Venezia presses Cremonese in search of the opening goal, Cremonese resists and Tsadjout responds with a shot on the edge of the small area. Central, saves Joronen.
9′ Sernicola from the left corner of the penalty area releases a curling shot that goes just to the left of Joronen.
12′ Header in the area by Pickel from a good position. For Joronen.
20′ restart by Tsadjout, ball to Sernicola who again from the corner of the home team’s area lets loose a shot that ends up high over the crossbar.
24′ VENICE GOAL: Venezia restart with Pohjanpalo, ball to Busio who puts it centrally for Gytkjaer who anticipates everyone and beats Saro. VENICE-CREMONESE 1-0
30′ nervousness on the pitch and between the benches. Sverko is cautioned.
34′ Sernicola again from the left and again just wide. 38′ opportunity on an assist from Tsadjout, a powerful but central shot from Castagnetti, Joronen saves himself in two halves.
After 2′ of injury time, the first half ends with the home team in the lead thanks to a goal from Gytkjaer.
SECOND HALF NEWS:
In Cremonese, Buonaiuto and Vazquez come out for Collocolo and Coda. No changes from Vanoli. 48′ Tsadjout tries again, but the shot doesn’t worry Joronen. 55′ Queue for Zanimacchia in the area, unbalanced by the pressure of the opposing defenders he kicks out. Pierini enters Venezia in place of goal scorer Gytkjaer.
57′ Idzes yellow for a foul on Pickel, Venezia begins to waste time. 61′ Bjarkason challenges Saro who lifts it in the corner. 63′ foul on Zanimacchia in the penalty area but everything is good for Sozza.
65′ ball in the middle from Tsadjout which Joronen raises over the crossbar.
71′ Zanimacchia comes out and Falletti comes in, who immediately commits Joronen with a free kick. 76′ Pickel for Ravanelli in the area, his low shot goes wide.
78′ percussion by Castagnetti, closed by Svoboda. 3 changes in Venezia, in Altare, Andersen and Ellertsson.
84′ melee in the Venezia area, Svoboda makes a bit of a scene, Pickel is booked and then Ravanelli. Inside Ciofani and Quagliata instead of Sernicola and Antov. It’s shameful that Venetian ball boys make balls disappear from the field.
Mercenario signals the 6′ of injury time.
The match ends in the jubilation of Penzo who celebrates the promotion to Serie A, while the Grigiorossi and Stroppa go under the segment of the curve where the thousand Grigiorossi supporters are crowded to take the applause.
