ROME – The cadet championship issues other verdicts before the play-offs and play-outs which will determine the third promotion to Serie A and the fourth relegation to Serie C. The last day of Serie B reserved several surprises: Como draws with Cosenza and returns to Serie A after 21 years accompanying Parma to the top flight. Venezia loses in La Spezia and has to settle for third place which guarantees the promotion play-offs while the Ligurian team saves itself at the last minute. Cremonese consolidates fourth place and with Venezia qualifies for the play offs: Catanzaro, Palermo, Sampdoria and Brescia will play the preliminary round of the play offs. At the bottom, Ascoli were relegated to Serie C (with Lecco and FeralpiSalò) despite winning against Pisa. Ternana beats FeralpiSalò away and guarantees the play outs against Bari.
Ascoli-Pisa
Success for the Bianconeri is not enough to avoid relegation: the results coming from other fields condemn the Marche team. At the Del Duca stadium the home team took the lead after eleven minutes thanks to a diving header from Botteghin. Pisa came close to equalizing through Moreo, but a timely intervention by the Juventus goalkeeper saved the Marche goal. But in the second half the Tuscan team found the equalizer with a personal action by D’Alessandro who entered the opponent’s goal with a right-footed shot just past the post. Ascoli doesn’t give up and takes the lead again with a left-footed shot from Pablo Rodriguez. However, the success of the Marche team is not enough to avoid a bitter relegation to Serie C.
Ascoli-Pisa 2-1, scoreboard and statistics
Bari-Brescia
It had to be a success, and it was a success. The victory against Brescia guarantees the Apulian team to play in the play outs against Ternana. At San Nicola, Bari broke the deadlock after twenty-five minutes with a cross shot from Sibilli that mocked the Brescia goalkeeper. Before the break, Galazzi made the Apulians tremble with a left-footed free-kick that landed on the outside of the net. Bari secured the result in the 58th minute with captain Di Cesare who doubled the lead with a diagonal left-footed shot.
Bari-Brescia 2-0, scoreboard and statistics
Catanzaro-Sampdoria
The match between two teams that have already reached the play offs is full of goals. Pirlo’s Sampdoria started at their best, and after three minutes found the lead on a penalty kick scored by Borini. The Giallorossi equalize in the 40th minute with Oliveri: the attacker’s left-footed shot – deflected by a defender – deceives Stankovic. But Sampdoria didn’t give up and found the second goal again with former Roma player Fabio Borini who scored into an empty net. The Sampdoria captain scored the Dorians’ third goal a few seconds later.
Catanzaro-Sampdoria 1-3, scoreboard and statistics
Como-Cosenza
After twenty-one years, Como returns to Serie A. It’s a big celebration at Sinigallia where for the entire first half the spectators were in suspense also due to the news arriving from La Spezia. Cosenza defends with order, and finds the advantage with Tutino who freezes Sinigallia. In the second half Fabregas introduced Verdi and Baselli. The Como team storms the Calabrian area, there are many opportunities but the aim is fallacious: the most sensational occurs on Verdi’s left foot, intercepted by Mikai. In the 73rd minute Cutrone was brought down in the area and the referee pointed to the spot: from eleven meters Verdi wrong-footed the goalkeeper to score the equaliser.
Como-Cosenza 1-1, scoreboard and statistics
Cremonese-Cittadella
Cremonese consolidates fourth place with a large success against Cittadella. The hosts took the lead thanks to a penalty scored by Massimo Coda which wrong-footed the Cittadella goalkeeper. Cremonese doubles their lead in the 36th minute thanks to captain Bianchetti. In the second half comes the third goal from Norwegian Johnsen.
Cremonese-Cittadella 3-0, scoreboard and statistics
FeralpiSalò-Ternana
A goal scored by Di Stefano at the start of the match guarantees the play outs for Ternana who will face Bari in the survival play-off. The visitors’ goal arrives on the counterattack: Di Stefano controls the ball perfectly, flies towards the opponent’s goal and crosses it with a left foot on the far pole. At the start of the second half Feralpi came close to equalizing with Giudici hitting the post with the goalkeeper beaten. The ending was tense, with the Umbrian team barricaded in their own area to defend a precious victory.
FeralpiSalò-Ternana 0-1, scoreboard and statistics
Lecco-Modena
Lecco is already relegated, Modena has nothing to ask of the championship. At the start the guests exploited a defensive mix-up and took the lead thanks to Strizzolo. But in the 22nd minute the home team equalized with a right-footed shot from Sersanti. Modena doubled their lead just before the half hour mark with a great shot under the crossbar by Bozhanaj which surprised Melgrati. In the 35th minute Strizzolo implemented the advantage by scoring Modena’s third goal from a few steps away. In the second half Lecco reopens the match with Buso who closes the gap.
Lecco-Modena 2-3, scoreboard and statistics
Reggiana-Parma
Parma promoted to Serie A, Reggiana already saved: the Emilian derby doesn’t offer any particular excitement, Portanova lights up the challenge by signing the home team’s lead with a great right-footed shot into the top corner. In the second half Pecchia’s team equalized thanks to Bonny’s goal.
Reggiana-Parma 1-1, scoreboard and statistics
Spezia-Venice
Spezia achieved an unexpected success thanks to a brace from Pio Esposito. The victory guarantees salvation for the Ligurian team who in extremis obtain their stay in Serie B. The hosts start on the attack, but the guests take the lead in the 18th minute: Andersen’s corner and Idzes’ winning header. In injury time in the first half, Spezia had the opportunity to equalize, but Pio Esposito was blocked at the moment of conclusion. At the start of the second half the hosts missed a good opportunity with Bertola, but in the 57th minute Esposito found the equalizer with a great right-footed shot from inside the area. And four minutes later the La Spezia striker doubled his lead by taking advantage of Venezia’s defensive lightness.
Spezia-Venice 2-1, scoreboard and statistics
Sudtirol-Palermo
The match doesn’t offer great excitement: in the first half the score remains stuck at 0-0, but in the second half the guests come through: following a corner, Diakite takes advantage of a favorable rebound and breaks the deadlock from a few steps away.
Sudtirol-Palermo 0-1, scoreboard and statistics
Serie B, the ranking
