The first leg of the playoff final at the Vincenzo Barone ends 1-2 for the guests.
Modica-Pompei 1-2
MODICA (4-3-3): Marino; Parisi, Diop, M. Trovato, Ballatore (79′ Biondi); Palermo, Alfieri, Palmisano (85′ Agodirin); Azzara (75′ Famà), Savasta, Cacciola (90′ Incatasciato). Available: N. Trovato, Ababei, Vindigni, Yu Suwa, Prezzabile. All. Settineri.
POMPEII (4-3-3): D’Agostino; Balzano, Velotti, Di Girolamo (76′ Riccio), Tomolillo; Baumwollspinner, Tarascio (60′ Guarracino), Casillo; Natural Case, Malafronte (82′ Matute), Di Paola (74′ Liccardo). Available: Mele, Arrivoli, Salvati, Marzano, Simonetti. All. Scarlet.
REFEREE: Radovanovic from Maniago (Crippa-Eltantawy).
MARKERS: 9′ Azzara, 63′ Guarracino, 80′ Natural Case.
NOTE: Booked Ballatore, Famà, Diop, Riccio.
Modica deluded itself thanks to Azzara’s goal in the 9th minute but then collapsed under the blows of Pompei who, in the second half, changed gear. The Campania team equalized in the 63rd minute with a header from Guarracino, from a corner, and won with Caso Naturale, in the 80th minute. Next Sunday the rossoblu will have to try to achieve the feat in the city of Campania.
The Modican team immediately went on the attack, moving towards D’Agostino with a header from Palmisano following a corner kick in the 2nd minute, the goalkeeper collecting the ball beyond the back line. The stakes are important, already at the start the first sparks can be seen among the players: tense nerves and the referee called to calm things down. In the 9th minute, after a throw-in, the home team took the lead through Azzara: the number 7’s header was angled, mocking D’Agostino and breaking the deadlock. Only ten minutes later the Campania team attempted a reaction with a free kick from Di Girolamo, which was blocked by the barrier. The match remains balanced and the fight is mainly mid-field. On the half hour mark, Malafronte gets a one-on-one chance with Marino, who does well at blocking the shot: the referee stops the action for offside. In the 34th minute Caso Naturale receives, focuses and sends high with his left foot. The Tigrotti can double their lead in the 37th minute: counterattack by Cacciola who widens for Azzara: the cross triggers Diop who misses the touch from a few meters away. In full injury time Marino performs a double miracle on Malafronte, Settinieri’s eleven contain the initiative of Scarlato’s team and at half-time he returns to the changing rooms with the result 1-0.
The second half opens with a restart by Palermo who does everything alone and finishes from distance, D’Agostino blocks in two halves. Pompei raises their center of gravity and tries to take the reins of the game, Modica defends and directs their opponents’ maneuvers on the flanks. Scarlato relies on striker Guarracino who responds immediately: the former Puteolana player enters, overpowers the defenders on the development of a corner and beats Marino with his head. The hosts were never dangerous in the second half and in the 80th minute the Campania team overturned the score with Caso Naturale: number 77 converged towards the center and unloaded his left foot towards the goal, the goalkeeper was unable to clear it and the ball ended up in the net . In the 83rd minute the rossoblù – in white shirts – also found a hat-trick with Guarracino, the attacker’s celebration was stopped by the assistant’s flag signaling offside. Modica responds with Savasta, D’Agostino stretches out and makes him the ball. More complicated, however, is the subsequent intervention on Agodirin, the class of ’93 is prodigious. At the end of the full post in Palermo, at the final whistle the first leg ended 2-1 in favor of Mango’s club.
