Saturday 8 May 2010

Serie B - Week 39: Weekend Review

Friday 7 May
Triestina 2-1 Reggina
Reggina were squeezed out at the death in this relegation dogfight. Della Rocca put Triestina in front after early pressure with a splendid daisy-cutter, but the visitors fought back and hit the woodwork with Lanzaro's header. Missiroli was slightly more accurate from a corner kick to equalise. The home team took the initiative again and Volpe's volley cracked against the upright, but seven minutes from time Colombo snatched the victory with a well-taken solo effort.


Saturday 8 May
Ascoli 1-2 Lecce
Leaders Lecce move closer to automatic promotion after an entertaining encounter at the Del Duca. Ascoli were still in with an outside chance of a play-off place too, so both sides were highly motivated. Antenucci had a goal ruled offside, while Guarna needed a reaction save to deny Marilungo’s volley. Rosati fingertipped a Bernacci header off the line from point-blank range. Corvia eventually put Lecce in front when tapping in a well-worked move between Marilungo and Di Michele. However, Ascoli equalised 11 minutes later thanks to Bernacci’s looping header. Either side could’ve won it at the death with desperate saves to deny Giacomazzi’s header and a Romeo strike, but it was Defendi who popped up with the decider, volleying in Munari’s cross from the right. Corvia received a second yellow card for dissent in stoppages.

Brescia 3-0 Ancona
Brescia only really started to dent Ancona’s resolve in the second half. Caracciolo had opened the scoring with a trademark looping header from Baiocco’s cross, but it wasn’t until Cristante saw red that the Rondinelle took flight. In the final stages another Rispoli header and Caracciolo’s tap-in rounded out the comfortable scoreline.

Cesena 2-0 Padova
Cesena edge closer to Serie A and keep up the pace with Lecce and Brescia. Giaccherini was the star of the show with a diving header from Ceccarelli's cross and left-foot strike either side of half-time. In-between there had been a great chance to equalise, but De Feudis denied Gasparetto with a crucial goalline clearance. Padova’s hopes were further dashed when Bovo picked up a second yellow card for dissent.

Sassuolo 2-3 Torino
This was a five-goal promotion thriller, as Toro got back into the top spots against joint third-placed Sassuolo despite playing the second half with 10 men. Almost immediately the visitors were awarded a penalty that Bianchi coolly converted. A couple of Sereni saves and the woodwork prevented Quadrini’s free kick and a Martinetti header from drawing level. After the restart the Granata doubled their advantage thanks to Scaglia springing the offside trap, but moments later Pestrin hacked down Rossini for a red card. Sassuolo staged a fight-back against 10-man Torino, as Sereni got his gloves to a Quadrini screamer, but could not keep it out of the net. Gasbarroni secured the points in the final stages with a fierce drive from 20 metres into the top corner, although Sereni still had more work to do on Quadrini and Bianco’s free kick. Zampagna did reduce the gap to a single goal by blasting under the bar from Quadrini's assist, but it was too late.

Cittadella 0-1 Frosinone
Cittadella’s promotion dreams are evaporating with this second consecutive defeat against relegation-threatened Frosinone. Sicignano had to work hard to deny Ardemagni and Musso’s header, while at the other end Santoruvo’s counter was turned out for a corner. The decisive goal arrived just past the hour mark, as Stellone smashed a powerful finish under the bar from the edge of the box. Cittadella poured forward in the final stages, but couldn’t make a dent in Frosinone.

Gallipoli 2-3 Crotone
Crotone squeezed through to stay in the hunt for a play-off place, but it is increasingly likely Gallipoli will go down. Ginestra nodded in Galardo’s cross and moments later Degano made the most of Mazzarani’s assist to make it 2-0. The final 15 minutes were chaotic to say the least. Sosa pulled one back from a Daino free kick, substitute Zito restored the two-goal cushion and deep into stoppages Legati’s foul led to an Artistico penalty for the home side.

Grosseto 3-3 Piacenza
This six-goal thriller ended with a shock result, as Grosseto slip up in the race to the promotion play-offs. Piacenza had taken a surprise lead within 30 seconds, as Sambugaro took advantage of a lucky ricochet to beat the stunned goalkeeper. Consonni’s strike restored order and soon after Pichlmann turned the game around completely in Grosseto’s favour with an acrobatic volley. Sambugaro completed his brace to make it 2-2, but Pichlmann chested down to fire in his second too. Deep into stoppages Piacenza made it 3-3 when Avogadri got the decisive touch to a free kick.

Vicenza 2-1 Empoli
Vicenza are now effectively safe from the threat of relegation, but Empoli look like they’ll have to settle for mid-table security this season too. Bassi was kept busy early on with a desperate save to neutralise Martinelli’s acrobatic volley, but could do nothing when Sgrigna threaded through for Bjelanovic. Eder was quickest to react when De Giorgio’s screamer was only parried into his path for an equaliser, but Kokoszka brought down Di Matteo for the winning Sgrigna penalty. It was almost 2-2 at the death, but Di Cesare’s goalline clearance denied Antonazzo.

Mantova 1-1 Modena
It was a game of two halves, as Modena took the initiative early on and went in front when Catellani sprung the offside trap from a Colucci assist. Mantova fought back after the break and, having survived a scare when Bruno hit the woodwork for the Canarini and seen Perna sent off, equalised through Caridi’s penalty.

Monday 10 May
Albinoleffe 3-2 Salernitana
Already relegated Salernitana suffered their 26th defeat of the season as they threw away a 2-0 lead and lost 3-2 to Albinoleffe in injury time. Ersillio Cerone's side perhaps benefited from the fact that their opponents had nothing to play for and were already thinking about their holidays. Federico Dionisi opened the scoring just after the hour mark and Andrea Capone doubled Salernitana's advantage soon afterwards.Albinoleffe didn't start their fight back until the last 10 minutes when Simon Laner pulled one back for the home side. Francesco Ruopolo equalised five minutes later and Salernitana's heads went down. Marco Cellini got Albinoleffe's winner in the fifth minute of added time.

Source: Football-Italia

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