A penalty from Lazovic opens, then Castrovilli equalizes in the first half. In the second half the winning goal goes to Noslin
by correspondent Alex Frosio
May 5, 2024 (changed at 5:05 pm) – VERONA
Three very heavy points, wanted very strongly and then defended strenuously: Verona put their heads above water and above all a safety margin from the red zone with the 2-1 over Fiorentina, sealed by Noslin’s winning goal. Not even 72 hours before the match against Bruges, Italiano is almost forced to revolutionize the lineup, having not had the material time to prepare for the away match. There are 10 changes compared to Thursday, the only one confirmed is Ranieri who after 12′ of essentially nothing comes to an agreement with Christensen, Noslin interferes and is knocked down by the Viola goalkeeper. Rapuano concedes the penalty which captain Lazovic converts half way up. It is the early reward for Baroni’s audacious strategy, who deploys two strikers – Folorunsho alongside Bonazzoli -, two attacking wingers – Lazovic and Noslin – and attacks high with Serdar rising on Lopez and Coppola breaking the defensive line to shorten on Barak. In the quarter of an hour there was an opportunity to double the score: Duda launched Lazovic who looked for Bonazzoli in the area, which was split wide. The atmosphere is anything but hostile – the purple sector displays the “Forza Verona” banner by virtue of an almost forty-year twinning – but the most famous May 5th in the history of Serie A teaches that there is little to trust. And in fact Faraoni and Barak, two former Italians who were directors of Hellas, create the first Viola chance in the 18th minute: cross from the winger and head from the blond, Montipò raises it in the corner. In the 29th minute Castrovilli, deployed on the left wing, centralizes and looks for the diagonal low shot with the right: post. Hellas’ line is always very high, Ikoné scores it in the 31st minute following a header from Nzola but when he arrives in front of Montipò he hits the figure. Baroni moves Folorunsho – limited in aerial duels by Milenkovic – to the center right and Hellas re-builds: in the 37th minute Duda backheels for Lazovic, cross for Bonazzoli who first finishes centrally.
from 2-0 to 1-1
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2-0 wasted, here’s 1-1: Nzola wins a duel on the edge of the area and serves Castrovilli who skips Centonze and nails the near post with his left foot. For the Viola number 17, making his second appearance as a starter after returning after a year’s break, it is the first goal almost exactly one year later (17 May 2023, against Udinese). The second half begins with Swiderski replacing the inaccurate Bonazzoli and with Coppola’s warning for a challenge on Castrovilli. But technically the match struggled to restart. It becomes a battle in every area of the pitch, with Verona sending balls forward and attacking second balls. In the 14th minute, following a high recovery, Folorunsho sends Duda to the cross, Lazovic doesn’t get there but Milenkovic clears it short and Noslin bursts in with a right-footed shot under the crossbar which triggers a roar from Bentegodi. The Italian puts Bonaventura and Kouame for Duncan and Castrovilli, then also Beltran for Ikone and Mandragora for Lopez but his Viola doesn’t seem to have the strength to break Hellas’ physical and mental resistance. Who defends with everything, in the final even with Dawidowicz and Dani Silva for the 4-5-1 when Belotti reinforces the Viola’s advanced department. Fiorentina sends high balls, the yellow-blue giants seem even higher because they take them all. Nzola volleyed high with his left foot in the 38th minute, Belotti widened the last chance of the match with his right foot in the 52nd minute. Baroni is completing the miracle.
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