It is done now surely; Crotone will be playing Serie A football next season for the first time in their history. The Squali sit 16 points clear of third place Bari with seven matches remaining. Yes, it may not have been mathematically achieved just yet but their consistency all season in contrast with the inconsistency of the chasing pack make promotion almost inevitable at this stage.
The latest triumph in what has proven to be a magical season for the Calabrian’s took place at the Stadio Libero Liberati in Terni on Saturday afternoon. As it has done so often for them this season things started very well for the Rossoblu as they took the lead on seven minutes although there is a slight degree of controversy about it.
Pol Garcia Tena was the man who would provide the finish rising highest to head home a corner from the left hand side. The controversy though surrounds whether the ball did indeed fully cross the line as Ternana keeper Luca Mazzoni had gotten a hand to it to claw it away. In the end though the match officials were satisfied that the whole of the ball had crossed the line.
If they Rossoverde were not already feeling aggrieved they certainly were when on 26 minutes Massimiliano Busellato picked up his second yellow and subsequently a red. Where others may sulk however Ternana found renewed vigour and two minutes into the second half found themselves back on level terms. Cesar Falletti letting fly from a long way out and expertly finding the bottom right hand corner of Alex Cordaz’s net.
Crotone though have not proven themselves to be the best team in the league this year for no reason however and would eventually take the lead for good on 77 minutes. A cross from the left found Federico Ricci completely unmarked in the centre of the box and letting the pace of the ball do the work headed it into the top right corner. 1-2 it finished, Crotone are all set to party.
As for their closest rivals Cagliari things continue to be heading in a downward trajectory, although it seems too late for them to implode enough that they will miss out on automatic promotion. The Sardinians latest defeat came at the hands of a now slightly less relegation threatened Ascoli.
The man who would do the damage for the Picchio was Daniele Cacia a man who has made a career out of being a pretty darn good getter of goals in the second level. His first of this match came on eight minutes a nice low volley finish from five yards out after he had gotten free of the would be marking.
If his first was decent his second was excellent, a long ball over the top sent him racing through, realising that he may no longer have the legs to outpace any chasing defenders he audaciously lobbed Marco Storari in the goal from a good 25 yards out. What made the goal even better was the fact that Storari wasn’t even that far off his line to get lobbed in the first place.
Just before the hour mark Cagliari did get themselves back into the match when Tommaso Bianchi was adjudged to have brought down his man in the area. Bianchi was given his marching orders and Joao Pedro duly stood up and converted the spot kick. In the end though Ascoli held out for a big three points while Cagliari continue to stutter.
In the ever revolving door that is third place our occupants this week are Bari after a dramatic last ditch win away to an ever more depressing Livorno side, the Amaranto now having dropped to second last as a result. It would take until the 78th minute for the deadlock to be broken in this one, when former Siena man Alessandro Rosina found the net with a nice curling effort after the ball had bounced around in front of him.
Livorno however thought they had snatched a draw three minutes from time when Riccardo Cazzola acrobatically volleyed home at the back post after a cross from the left. In fact, it could have got even better for the hosts if it wasn’t for an Alessandro Micai wonder save down to his right. As seems to be the case with Livorno though things can get better but they can also get much. So it proved four minutes into stoppage time when Andrea Lazzari headed home from what can be deemed as only inches out.
1-2 it finished, Bari continue to dream of Serie A, Livorno are looking at Lega Pro.
As for some of the other clubs down towards the bottom it was another mixed weekend. Modena Imploded spectacularly at home to Trapani. El Diablo, Pablo Granoche had given the Gialloblu the lead on 13 minutes but from there the Emilian would proceed to concede four goals whilst also getting two men sent off and finishing the match with nine men. Trapani meanwhile quietly move into fifth as a result of this win.
The relegation six pointer on Sunday evening between Como and Pro Vercelli ended 1-1, Ettore Marchi rescuing a point for the Leoni as they strive to survive for another year, Como though look even more doomed.
Salernitana had a massive win over another struggler Latina at the Stadio Arechi. Marco Calderoni gave the Leonialti the lead on 11 minutes with a fine drive from outside the area. Just past the half hour mark though the Granata hit back with and even better shot from range. Moses Odjer with a thunderbolt that nearly raised the goal off the ground.
Only two minutes after that Latina restored their lead, Luigi Scaglia benefiting from some hard work by his teammates (plus shabby defending) to sweep home. Six minutes after that it was 2-2, Alfredo Donnarumma’s slightly deflected effort deceiving Samir Ukjani in the goal.
That would be the way it would stay until the 89th minute when Massimo Coda would provide the final twist in the tale when he confidently stroked home from the spot. 3-2 it finished.
Elsewhere around the league this weekend Pescara got back to winning ways with a 3-1 win away to Avellino. In the battle of the two Virtus’s Entella came out on top 1-2 to push the Frentani back into the relegation battle, Aniello Cutolo with the crucial second.
Meanwhile Spezia beat Novara 1-0 in the battle of two potential promotion play-off sides, while Cesena were only able to draw 1-1 at home to Vicenza. Finally, on Monday night at the Rigamonti, Brescia got a 93rd minute equaliser to draw 2-2 with Perugia
View Table HERE.
Week 35 Results:
Avellino 1-3 Pescara, Ascoli 2-1 Cagliari, Cesena 1-1 Vicenza, Livorno 1-2 Bari, Modena 1-4 Trapani, Salernitana 3-2 Latina, Spezia 1-0 Novara, Ternana 1-2 Crotone, Virtus Lanciano 1-2 Virtus Entella, Como 1-1 Pro Vercelli, Brescia 2-2 Perugia.
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