On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Crotone sitting atop Serie B. On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me a team doing their level best to lose the league called Cagliari.
Yes, the festive period is well and truly upon us and while the rest of Italy will soon be putting away their boots for well-earned rest Serie B will be entering into its busiest time of the year. As from the 18th to the 27th of December the 22 clubs in the second tier will take to the field three times.
That though is still a number of days away so back to last weekend’s action which as per usual far from failed to excite. We start off the round up at the Stadio Picchi in Livorno as the Amaranto played hosts to Cagliari.
The visitors went into the match knowing that a win would put them back top of the table for 24 hours at least. Whilst Livorno were looking to arrest their slide down the table that had continued apace even with the appointment of Bortolo Mutti to the management bench.
Things started very well for the visiting Sardinians as only two minutes in they managed to take the lead. Some truly awful defending by Luca Ceccherini in particular presented Rossoblu striker Diego Farias with the easy enough task of finding the net, which he duly did.
This would be the way things stayed until four minutes into the second half when poacher supreme Daniele Vantaggiato levelled matters for the Tuscans. This was no simple tap in however but rather a lowly drilled free kick from just outside the box. In truth while Vantaggiato did strike the ball sweetly questions must still be asked of the wall and Marco Storari in goal.
Late on for the Rossoblu Federico Melchiorri would have a goal disallowed after an initial effort was stopped by Carlo Pinsoglio and bounced into his path. In fairness to the referee and his linesmen it was the correct call.
1-1 was how it would finish a result that does absolutely no favours for either team as Livorno continue to slide while Cagliari cede ground to Crotone.
Speaking of Crotone they were at home against Modena on Sunday night. The Rossoblu now knowing that a win at the Ezio Scida would move them three at the top. In the end the Calabrian’s would get the three points they craved but only just.
Despite the match being pretty much a game of Backs and Forwards for the entire 90 minutes it was beginning to look like one of them nights for the hosts where no matter what they tried nothing went in.
That was until 16 minutes from time when Ante Budimir popped up with a peach of an effort to give the Rossoblu all three points. All ball over the top saw Budimir shrug off the atentions of his man before expertly taking it down on his chest. Then leaving the ball bounce he hit it on the way back up into the top left corner giving Ivan Provedel no chance. 1-0 Crotone, the dream season only grows bigger.
Earlier on that Sunday morning Bari also took advantage of Cagliari’s slip up to move within two points of the Sardinians. 22-year-old Stefano Sabelli’s rocket into the top right corner from well outside the box on 67 minutes enough to the hand the Galetti the win over the Grifone of Perugia.
Things at the top could get even tighter at the if fourth place Novara beat Trapani in the Monday night match which is kicking off as I Write. So with no result from there we’ll switch our attention to fifth pace side Brescia who made the visit to Vicenza to take on the Biancorossi.
Wily old operator Andrea Caracciolo gave the Biancoazzuri the lead on 20 minutes. Picking up the ball inside the box the striker held off two Lane defenders before knocking the ball in off the left hand post.
Nine minutes later he was at it again, this time rising highest at the back post to head home a cross from the right from a very tight angle. Vicenza would pull one back a minute into the second half. Good work by Stefano Giacomelli ended up with him delivering a perfect ball across the box to Filip Raicevic who did the rest.
It would not prove enough however as Brescia held onto the win to cement fifth spot. Not bad for a club who were relegated from the league last season only to be reinstated.
Down at the Stadio Partenio Avellino and Virtus Lanciano played out a real see-saw encounter. A minute before the break Antonio Piccolo gave the Frentani the lead from the penalty spot, putting the ball bottom left with Frattali going the wrong way.
Two minutes into the second half though Lanciano were dealt a serious blow when Antonio Aquilanti was given his marching orders. Initially however it did not seem to set them back two much as only two minutes after the red card they had doubled their lead.
Federico Di Francesco providing the finish after Antonio Piccolo’s initial shot fell into his path. Things though were to soon take a turn for the worst for the struggling side. Only six minutes later the Lupi earned themselves a foothold back in the game. Mariano Arini blasting home into the bottom left corner from just inside the box.
Lanciano continued to hold out until seven minutes from time when the irrepressible Francesco Tavano did what he does best to put his side back on level terms. The small band of travelling supporters now just prayed for the final whistle. Sadly, for them though before it came Luigi Castaldo had got a third for Avellino.
With only three minutes remaining a corner from the right was not sufficiently cleared and lurking at the edge of the box was Castaldo who did the rest.
Around the rest of the league Pro Vercelli had a fantastic 2-0 win at home to stuttering Cesena. Fausto Rossi and Nunzio Di Roberto (Pen) with the goals, both coming in the first half. Ternana destroyed Como 4-0 at the Libero Liberati. A defeat which even at this early stage seemingly already condemns Como to an immediate return to Lega Pro.
In a relegation six pointer Salernitana came out on top against Ascoli 2-0, Manolo Pestrin and Massimo Coda with the goals. In the remaining two matches of the weekend there was wins for Pescara and Spezia over Virtus Entella and Latina respectively.
Week 18 will only just be in the book before round 19 comes around but who’s complaining it only brings about more excitement.
Week 18 Highlights HERE.
Current Table HERE.
Week 18 Results:
Avellino 3-2 Virtus Lanciano, Livorno 1-1 Cagliari, Pescara 2-0 Virtus Entella, Pro Vercelli 2-0 Cesena, Salernitana 2-0 Ascoli, Spezia 2-1 Latina, Ternana 4-0 Como, Vicenza 1-2 Brescia, Bari 1-0 Perugia, Crotone 1-0 Modena, Novara v Trapani (Mon)
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