Here’s everything that happened in the first round of the internal group stage, with the pairings of the second round matches scheduled for Saturday (11 May). Only in one case was the pitch factor missing, with Rimini’s success in Gubbio.
group A
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In its historic debut in the playoffs, Atalanta U23 overturns Trento (3-1) and goes through: ahead at the start with Spalluto (nice assist from Obaretin), Baldini’s team is quickly joined by Moustapha Cissé and passed just before half-time by Bonfanti (third goal of the season for the defender, also scoring with the “big boys” in the Europa League), then Jimenez scored the hat-trick in the final. The fairy tale of Massimo Donati’s newly promoted Legnago also continues, beating Lumezzane (1-0) thanks to Svidercoschi’s goal in the first half. Giana was overwhelming, knocking out Pro Vercelli (3-0): the one-two at the start with Maguette Fall and Marotta was deadly, in the second half the Senegalese scored twice. Second round: TRIESTINA-GIANA and ATALANTA-LEGNAGO
group b
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Juventus Next Gen advance, beating Arezzo (2-0) thanks to the penalty converted in the 70th minute by Savona and Damiani’s encore late in injury time (match full of VAR episodes: a goal disallowed, an expulsion canceled and the on field review which led to the penalty). The young Bianconeri will go to visit Pescara, who worked hard to overcome the Pontedera obstacle. At the Adriatico it ended 2-2: immediately behind due to an own goal by Milani, Cascione’s team overturned it with a brace in three minutes from Cuppone (he hadn’t scored since January), only to then suffer an equalizer from the substitute Delpupo and being saved by Plizzari on Ianesi’s shot which would have been worth the shot for the Tuscans. Only Rimini, as mentioned, blew up their home advantage by winning in Gubbio (where they had lost 4-0 on 28 April, on the last day of the championship): Cernigoi was decisive, in the final, to stop the run of Piero Braglia’s Umbrians. Second round: PERUGIA-RIMINI, PESCARA-JUVENTUS NEXT GEN
group c
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In front of almost 10 thousand spectators, Capuano’s Taranto relies on its well-known defensive solidity (seventh in a row at home without conceding a goal) and imposes a 0-0 draw on Latina, a result sufficient to go through. Picerno will arrive at Iacovone on Saturday evening after the success against disappointing Crotone (2-0, with Zauli’s players contested by the fans who arrived in Basilicata): captain Esposito was decisive in the first half, then D’Agostino’s second goal at the end , to the delight of president Donato Curcio who arrived from the United States for the occasion. In the third consecutive playoff, the Lucanians had never made it past the first round. Draw (1-1) and qualification for Cerignola, against Giugliano: ahead with the usual wild D’Andrea (sixth goal in the last four games), the hosts are joined by Salvemini, thank Visentin for a save and thus take advantage the best placing in the standings.
Second round: CASERTANA-CERIGNOLA and TARANTO-PICERNO
