While the rest of the footballing world concentrated on events going on in the Champions League, Serie B went about its merry way in a midweek round of fixtures.
And once again they proved to as enthralling as anything going on in Europe’s premier competition. Looking to bounce back from a couple of bad results second place Cagliari made the visit to Lanciano to take on the Frentani. A win there and anything less than the same for Crotone in Como would see the Sardinians return to top of the table
Things started in the best way possible for the Rossoblu as only 13 minutes in they opened the scoring against the struggling hosts. Andrés Tello was the man to get the goal and what a goal it was. A cross from the right was swung in towards the back post where Tello met it with an acrobatic Bicycle kick into the bottom left corner.
11 minutes before the break it was 2-0. This time the in swinging cross came from the left hand side and was met by the head of 6ft 5in Polish centre half Bartosz Salaman who sent the ball downwards and into the bottom left.
The Rossoblu looked to be coasting at this stage and the chances of a team so near the foot of the table like Lanciano getting back into the match seemed very remote. However, on 61 minutes they did give Cagliari a scare by halving the deficit. Antonio Piccolo, the Frentani’s main danger man struck for his seventh of the campaign with a precisely placed free kick, from just outside the box, drilled low into the bottom left corner. There may be some questions asked of Storari in the goal but nevertheless Lanciano were back in the match.
That degree of hope sadly only lasted a pitiful five minutes as after a swift move forward Juventus loanee Alberto Cerri got on the end of a cross to tap home from barely a yard out.
At that stage of the evening it looked for all intents and purposes that Cagliari were about to return to the top of the table. This due to Crotone being unable to break down a resilient Como side. Como though are not bottom without reason and despite putting it up to most opponents this season they have been susceptible to conceding late goals.
And low and behold it would prove late heart break once again for the Lariani faithful. A long ball over the top played out towards the right was taken down and worked intricately around before being cut back to Ante Budimir. Where from just inside the box the Bosnian slotted into the bottom right corner.
Crotone then rode out the remaining three minutes to maintain top spot and continue their remarkable season.
While it could be considered a good round of fixtures for the top two the same can most certainly not be said for third place Bari. The Galletti made the trip to the Stadio Braglia to take on a floundering Modena side. Confidence in picking up the win would have been high but it didn’t take long in things going down the toilet.
Only five minutes in Riccardo Nardini struck with a lovely side footed effort from outside the area. It looked initially like the ball would be swung into the mix of players around the spot but Nardini made himself available and finished in style.
It was 2-0 to the Gialloblu on 16 minutes a corner from the right was swung into the danger zone where it was helped on to the back post and from there it was easily put home by Pablo Granoche. This is the way it would stay until 22 minutes from time when Gianluca Sansone pulled one back for the visitors with a free kick from miles out.
Two goals would prove enough in the end though and by the skin of their teeth claimed an absolutely massive three points for Crespo and Modena.
One side who are on a real tear at the moment is Novara. The Biancoazzurri are now only a point behind Bari and six off top after they took Perugia to the sword at the Renato Curi. Simone Corazza broke the deadlock on 16 minutes getting in between two defenders to side foot home a low cross from the right past Antonio Rosati.
Perugia did have chances to draw level but when the second goal came in the 61st minute it came for the away side. Felice Evacuo was the man to provide it by showing enough strength to hold off his man and almost slid tackle shoot it in from just inside the box.
The Grifone though hit back three minutes later Vittorio Parigini squeezing the ball into the bottom right corner after finding himself unmarked in the area. With 16 minutes remaining Paolo Farago restored Novara’s two goal advantage. Benefitting from a goalkeeping howler by Rosati, Farago met the ball first time and putting it where it could not be stopped.
Then with five minutes remaining Andrej Galabinov rounded off an excellent win for Novara with a rocket from well outside the box past the despairing dive of Rosati.
Brescia leapfrogged Pescara in the table with a 2-0 win at the Stadio Rigamonti. Alexandre Geijo got the first goal on 33 minutes with a blistering effort into the top right corner after good work from Embalo.
Two minutes later Luca Mazzitelli sealed the win with Brescia’s second. This one another rasper that went in the top left. A well-deserved 2-0 win for the Biancoazzurri.
Two clubs who would have seen themselves as real automatic promotion contenders at the start of the season in the shape of Livorno and Cesena continue to see their stock fall, Livorno perhaps more so.
Each were only able to draw 0-0 in this midweek round, Livorno at home to Salernitana and Cesena at the Manuzzi against Trapani.
Elsewhere around the league Virtus Entella continue to surprise as they move into eighth with a 1-0 win at home to Latina. A Francesco Caputo penalty 16 minutes from time proving enough. Spezia picked up the win at home to a disappointing Vicenza side, Patrick Ciurria with a beautiful curling effort into the top left corner three minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half.
Meanwhile in the remaining two matches of round 17 both Ascoli and Avellino picked up 1-0 wins at home against Ternana and Pro Vercelli respectively.
Serie B continues full steam ahead this weekend as the league enters into a busy Christmas period.
View Week 17 Highlights HERE.
View Current Table HERE.
Week 17 Results:
Ascoli 1-0 Ternana, Avellino 1-0 Pro Vercelli, Cesena 0-0 Trapani, Modena 2-1 Bari, Perugia 1-4 Novara, Virtus Entella 1-0 Latina, Brescia 2-0 Pescara, Como 0-1 Crotone, Livorno 0-0 Salernitana, Spezia 1-0 Vicenza, Virtus Lanciano 1-3 Cagliari
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