We are only four weeks into the new season and it is already clear that my pre-season predictions are beginning to look utter rubbish. Case in point I tipped Livorno to flatter to deceive with Panucci in charge, they are top with a 100% record after the four matches.
Exhibit two, I tipped Crotone to be battling down at the bottom and Bari to be my dark horses. What happened? Well Crotone go and smash the Galletti and sit a comfortable seventh.
The fact that I am so wrong however shows the sheer competitiveness of this league. A league in which you can make a genuine case for a least 16 or 17 of the 22 sides challenging for the promotion play-offs come seasons end.
As for the matches from the first midweek round of the season we start off with the aforementioned Livorno, who should considerable guts to maintain their perfect start to the campaign away to Ternana on Monday night.
The home side hit the ground running and were one nil up within five minutes against the Amaranto when Alejandro Gonzalez headed in off the post. The goal visible gave the Rossoverdi a boost as they took the game to the league leaders.
Then just past the half hour mark they scored a well deserved second. Nicola Belloni took control of the ball out wide on the left, what he did next was clearly meant to be a cross but the ball proceeded to evaded the heads of all those waiting in the box and curl into the bottom right corner.
A fabulous finish, but one that had more than a slight degree of luck to it. The leagues last remaining 100% record now looked in real doubt, but going two behind seemed to galvanise Livorno who eventually woke from their slumber.
Once they were awake it didn’t take long for them to make there presence felt, as eight minutes after Ternana’s second they halved the deficit. Mattia Aramu was the provider as he curled a fantastic effort from just outside the box into the top corner.
Panucci must have been glad to get his side into the dressing room at the break to have a few words. Whatever he did say had an immediate impact as with not even a minute on the clock they were back on level terms and it came from Daniele Vantaggiato, his fifth of the season.
It came about after a inch perfect ball over the top, Vantaggiato peeled off the shoulder of his man and then headed down low and hard past Mazzoni in the goal. The momentum was now all with the Amaranto and they looked odds on to go on to win the match. That they would do but they would leave it late. Four minutes from time in fact.
A pass along the edge of the area was brilliantly dummied by Vantaggiato completely fooling the defenders around him. If Vantaggiato’s step over was special than the finish from Christian Pasquato was a level above as he beautifully guided the ball home that if you haven’t seen then is very much worth checking out.
In perhaps what turned out the be the biggest shock of the midweek round Crotone smashed Bari four-one at the Ezio Scida. Another early goal was the hallmark of this game as with only two minutes on the clock a ball in from the left along the six yard box evaded everyone that is except Tounkara who slid in at the back post to provide the finishing touch.
It was two on 21 minutes, Adrian Stoian with a wicked effort from outside the box. Picking up a pass from the left Stoian deftly controlled it then with the defenders backing away he rolled it out of his feet and let fly sending a wickedly bending effort into the far right corner past a static keeper.
Five minutes later though Bari gave themselves a lifeline, Gianluca Sansone scoring a goal of equal quality to Stoian’s as he took on the defence before unleashing a thunderbolt from range. Sadly for the Galletti that was as good as it got, because just on the hour mark Michele Contini was given his marching orders for being the last man back and a penalty was duly awarded to the hosts. The pen was then duly dispatched by Salzano.
With 15 minutes left Ante Budimir rounded off the scoring when he finished low and hard into the bottom corner, four-one Crotone it finished.
Cagliari kept in touch with Livorno at the top as they went away to Entella and picked up the three points. They had to come from behind to do it however as Costa Ferreria gave Virtus the lead after only one minute capitalising on the Rossoblu’s failure to clear their lines.
Just past the half hour mark though and Cagliari were handed a penalty that Niccolo Giannetti smashed straight down the middle. On 68 minutes they were awarded another pen. This time it was Diego Farias who took responsibility and proceed to find the top left corner.
Farias then got his and Cagliari’s third in stoppage time to give the Islanders a three-one win.
Cesena were another club to keep apace at the top as they beat Modena at the Manuzzi in the Emilia-Romagna Derby. Perico and Cascione with the goals in either half doing enough for the seashores to earn them the three points.
Spezia meanwhile overcame Perugia by a solitary goal. It has been a disappointing start to the season for the Grifone, but it took a touch of class to consign them to defeat against the Aquilotti. Brezovec being the man to provide that quality as he curled a fine effort from outside the area into the top corner. A type of goal that is quickly becoming the leagues trademark.
Latina finally got their first win of the season, one-nil at home to Ascoli. Acosty was the man to provide the finishing touch to what was quite possibly the goal of the week in a week that saw some class efforts.
A long ball over the top was chested down by Acosty, it somehow though dropped slightly behind him, however with the close attention of a defender, Acosty managed to swivel his body and backheel the ball home before it touched the ground.
Elsewhere around the league Brescia won two-nil at home to Pro Vercelli Morosini and Embalo with the goals. Pescara and Salernitana drew one each at the Adriatico, Valoti giving the Delfini the lead early before Gabionetta cancelled it out with his fourth of the season for the Granata.
The remaining three matches Como v Trapani, Avellino v Novara and Virtus Lanciano v Vicenza all finished scoreless.
Also as a result of their defeat on Monday night Ternana manager Domenico Toscano resigned his post as Rossoverdi manager.
Finally we send our best wishes to Vicenza player Nicolo Brighenti who suffered a lacerated Pancreas during the Biancorossi’s match at the weekend.
View week 4 Highlights HERE.
View Table HERE.
Week 4 Results:
Ternana 2-3 Livorno, Avellino 0-0 Novara, Brescia 2-0 Pro Vercelli, Cesena 2-0 Modena, Como 0-0 Trapani, Latina 1-0 Ascoli, Crotone 4-1 Bari, Pescara 1-1 Salernitana, Spezia 1-0 Perugia, Virtus Entella 1-3 Cagliari and Virtus Lanciano 0-0 Vicenza.
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