If ever a league was considered unpredictable then it would have to be Serie B. Week two is not even fully complete (Latina – Trapani Monday night) and only one team remains with a 100% record and even at that it was maintained in very trying circumstances. Yes Trapani can become the second side to start the season unbeaten if they win away to the Leoni alati tomorrow, but the very fact that so few have managed it after only two matches shows the sheer competitiveness and unpredictability of the league.
We start this review at the beginning because as the song says it’s a very good place to start and it was Pescara and Perugia who met on Friday night at the Stadio Adriatico. The Delfini were looking to bounce back after there four-nil humiliation to Livorno on week one, while Pierpaolo Bisoli’s charges were looking to build on there win over Como.
The match itself proved to be a tight affair with the Grifone probably just shading the opening exchanges. It was the home side however who would soon emerge as the instigators and come very close to taking the lead on 27 minutes when new signing Andrea Cocco cannoned a volley off the right hand post. The reprieve for Perugia though was only temporary as barely a minute later Pescara did take the lead and it came courtesy of the penalty spot.
Fabinho proving the guilty offender as he rashly fouled his man. Captain Ledian Memushaj was the man to assume responsibility for Pescara and he confidently strode up to the ball threw a little stutter before sliding the ball into the bottom left sending Rosati the wrong way.
Buoyed by the goal it was the delfini who looked the more threatening for the rest of the first half, but they were unable to add to there advantage.
With there managers words still ringing in there ears Perugia came out for the second half with more intent and were nearly back on level terms only four minutes later. Only the outstretched leg of stand-in keeper Simone Aresti was the difference between half time sub Vittorio Parigini restoring parity for his side.
Sadly that was as good as it got for the visitors as Pescara restored there authority and looked the more likely of the two to get the next goal. That they duly did on 76 minutes, sub Gianluca Caprari, who was barely on the field 30 seconds, beat the offside trap to race clean through and finish calmly past the stranded Rosati.
From there on in Pescara looked comfortably, but they were given a late scare when Di Carmine pulled one back in stoppage time. It was not enough though as Massimo Oddo’s charges picked up a deserved win and there first three points of the season.
Meanwhile in Terni, Cagliari found out that were not going to have everything there own way this season as many had expected after they let a lead slip late on to a Ternana side who had been convincingly beaten on the opening day.
Marco Sau gave the Rossoblu the lead five minutes before half time with a fine swivel and volleyed finish. From there it would have been expected that the Sardinians would have pushed on, but no it was the Rossoverdi who controlled the second half and finally got there reward four minutes into added time when Martin Valjent raced in unmarked to head home a inch perfect free from the right. One all it finished.
In what was probably the most hotly anticipated match of the Serie B weekend Vicenza played hosts to Bari. The match itself however failed to live up to expectations with neither side in the end able to break down there respective defences. The Galetti however who will go away happiest after they were reduced to ten men harshly in the first half when Filippo Porcari was given his marching orders.
As I mentioned at the top only one team so far has a 100% record and a little surprisingly they are Livorno. Many expect the Amaranto to be challengers come seasons end, but doubts remain over manager Christian Panucci. Yet if results continue like this those doubts won’t be long in disappearing.
They had to come from behind though away to Como to maintain that perfect start. Alessandro Sbaffo gave the leagues new boys the lead on 14 minutes, scrambling it home from a yard out. The Tuscans were back level just before half time though, Francesco Fedato with a lovely cushion header into the bottom right.
20 minutes into the second half they flipped matters 180 degrees when Daniele Vantaggiato got his third goal of the season when he smashed home from the spot. Marconi the culprit was also given his marching orders in a double blow for Como that they were unable to recover from.
Virtus Entella picked up what was probably the most surprising three points of the weekend as they beat ten man Cesena in Chiavari. Goals from Alessio Sestu and Francesco Caputo cancelled out Antonino Ragusa’s opener for the seahorses.
Avellino got there campaign up an running with a two nil win at home to Modena. It’s Hernan Crespo’s second defeat in two in charge of the Gialloblu, who despite the poor start have looked decent and only for a lack of that killer instinct could have been looking at an altogether start to the season.
For the Lupi meanwhile William Jidayi and Benjamin Mokulu were the men who did the damage late on scoring in the 77th and 84th minutes respectively.
Crotone stunned Novara with two very late strikes to steal the three points. Andrej Galabinov had given the northerns the lead in the first half with a splendid curling effort from outside the area that is well worth a second view.
Yet with only two minutes of normal time remaining Giuseppe Torromino brought the Rossoblu back level when his lowly drilled free kick took a deflection deceiving the Novara keeper before nestling in the bottom right. Then with literally seconds left a cross from the right was headed back across the face of goal where Ante Budmir was waiting to nod home.
Brescia and Salernitana played out a bit of a thriller at the Stadio Rigamonti. Raffaele Schiavi gave the visitors the lead on 44 minutes. Ten minutes into the second half 19 year old Leonardo Morosini brought Brescia back level, before he gave them the lead with 11 minutes to go. However Denilson Gabionetta responded on 83 minutes to secure a point for the Granata.
In the other two matches that took place so far this weekend Virtus Lanciano beat Ascoli two nil while Spezia could only manage to draw one all at home to Pro Vercelli.
View the highlights from Week 2 HERE.
View the Table HERE.
Week 2 Results:
Pescara 2-1 Perugia, Avellino 2-0 Modena, Brescia 2-2 Salernitana, Como 1-2 Livorno, Crotone 2-1 Novara, Ternana 1-1 Cagliari, Vicenza 0-0 Bari, Virtus Entella 2-1 Cesena, Virtus Lanciano 2-0 Ascoli, Spezia 1-1 Pro Vercelli and Latina v Trapani (Mon)
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