Serie B - Week 20: Midweek Review

Tuesday 5 January
Lecce 1-0 Vicenza
Lecce continue to streak away at the top of the table and a goal after 90 seconds proved decisive in their first test of 2010. Munari broke through immediately by getting on the end of Mesbah's cross, but Vicenza proved troublesome for a side that was missing the suspended Schiavi, Giacomazzi and Corvia. Chances were wasted by Bjelanovic, while Martinelli's header thumped the crossbar and late on Di Cesare saw red.


Ancona 2-1 Triestina
Ancona are the only side to stick by Lecce in the race at the top of the table, as Mastronunzio struck twice to secure victory and fly to the top of the Capocannoniere charts. The hosts lost Colacone to injury early on, but broke through with Mastronunzio’s angled right-foot drive into the far bottom corner. Straight after the restart it was 2-0, as he completed his brace with a similar effort from six yards. Triestina grabbed a late consolation goal through Godeas turning in from a Crovetto free kick.

Empoli 1-1 Sassuolo
Empoli left it very late to snatch a point in this promotion battle. Manganelli’s free kick had set up a Noselli opener for Sassuolo from six yards just shy of the half-time break. The hosts fought hard and eventually sealed an equaliser when Coralli got his head to De Giorgio’s assist. This result leaves the two teams locked together on 32 points and maintains Empoli's unbeaten home record.

Modena 1-0 Cesena
Cesena emerged empty-handed from the snowstorm that hit the Stadio Braglia. Catellani was in the right place at the right time, almost accidentally getting the final touch to redirect Luisi’s shot past the goalkeeper. Modena clung on to this slender lead in the second half, where Pedrelli, Parolo and Rickler forced tough saves out of Alfonso. The Canarini fly to sixth place, while Cesena are caught in joint third by Sassuolo and Empoli.

Frosinone 1-5 Ascoli
The Christmas break didn’t do Frosinone any good, as their form remains disastrous. Struggling Ascoli gave them a five-star thrashing on home turf that saw Bernacci and Antonucci bag braces, including one strike that ricocheted in off Bocchetti and a delightful lob. Sommese scored from the edge of the box before Santoruvo earned and converted a penalty that was scant consolation.

Reggina 1-1 Grosseto
Reggina’s attempts at a comeback in Serie B took a knock with this disappointing home stalemate. It had started so well with Pagano finding the net just 120 seconds in, but Pinilla pounced on a defensive error to score a free header. It was an extremely tense encounter with double bookings for Carmona and Freddi. Cacia nearly won it for Reggina at the death, but Acerbis palmed his shot round the post.

Torino 1-1 Mantova
Torino thought they’d started 2010 on the right foot, but threw it all away in stoppages. Defender Loria had opened the scoring after 35 minutes when he gathered a Loviso corner kick for a right-foot strike from 10 yards. Inacio Pià made his debut after the break in place of Di Michele and the tension got to the teams with a scuffle between Tarana and Rubin late on. Moments later Mantova snatched an equaliser through a looping Carrus header.

Salernitana 1-3 Brescia
Brescia conquered the Arechi to climb back into the race for promotion play-off spots. Possanzini’s goal was almost immediately wiped out by Soligo, but Vass hit the target again for the third strike in seven minutes. Caracciolo converted an extremely controversial penalty that saw Salernitana fans hurl objects at the pitch and demand their team walk off in protest, but they played on to the final whistle and remain bottom of the table.

Padova 0-2 Albinoleffe
Albinoleffe caused an upset as Padova fell to a shock home defeat. There were two goals in 11 minutes that proved decisive. First Foglio was left criminally unmarked to meet Ruopolo’s cross from the left, then the assist-man turned scorer by skipping past Trevisan.

Piacenza 2-0 Gallipoli
Moscardelli was the man of the moment, as the captain got both goals in this hard-fought encounter under the snow. The conditions did not help fitness worries, as Ginestra and Franchini went off in the first half. Nainggolan was denied by a tough save before Simon flicked on a Greco cross for Moscardelli’s opener. Gallipoli poured forward with chances for Smit and Abbate, but Moscardelli sprung the offside trap for a late lob.

Crotone 1-1 Cittadella
10-man Crotone snatched a point with the very last kick of the game after having shot themselves in the foot. It was somewhat harsh on Cittadella, who had the better of the overall play, even if only Villanova’s save on a Morleo penalty prevented the home side from taking the lead. Soon after the referee pointed to the spot at the other end, where Concetti brought down Ardemagni and saw red, replacement goalkeeper Farelli beaten by Iunco’s penalty. It seemed to be in Cittadella’s hands, but deep into stoppages substitute Mendicino unleashed a screamer from 25 metres.

Source: Football-Italia