Serie B playoffs, Cagliari in the final with Bari: Parma eliminated

Cagliari resists and continues to dream. With ninety minutes of fighting and substance, Ranieri’s team protected the precious 3-2 in the first leg against Parma: the Gialloblù tried with conviction only in the second half, but that wasn’t enough. The 0-0 of the Tardini is golden for the Sardinians and is worth the playoff final, with the possibility of playing all out for Serie A in the double clash with Bari. First leg on 8 June at the Unipol Domus, I return on the 11th to San Nicola.

EQUILIBRIUM

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The daring result of the first leg forces Parma to play the match. The first thrill comes in the quarter of an hour with Zappa’s right foot from distance, who almost mocks Chichizola. The Gialloblù try to attack timidly and keep their balance, Ranieri’s team at the start opts above all for a shot from distance. The match lights up shortly after the half hour with the textbook play of the perfect centre-forward of the usual Lapadula, who shoots deep, swerves after a good feint and with his left foot opens the match. The attacker rejoices, but it is a stalemate. After a few seconds of waiting, the Var canceled due to an offside at the start. First half without goals, prudence wins.

STILL VAR

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Cagliari begins to cover at the start of the second half: Ranieri uses fresh strength to reinvigorate the defense with the entrances in a few minutes of Di Pardo, Goldaniga and Altare (out of Kourfalidis, Dossena and Zappa). Pecchia needs a goal to keep dreaming of Serie A, but yellow and blue possession is not very effective and the Sardinians still create new dangers. 20′ from the end, Di Pardo’s tense cross missed Lapadula’s close range for nothing. In the 73rd minute the change that reignites the game: Pecchia removes Sohm and uses the Bonny card. Ten seconds after entering the field, the attacker found the twist: his left footed turn on Vazquez’s cross met Radunovic’s gloves and then the crossbar, bouncing off the line. Orsato concedes the goal at the start and Parma rejoices, then the Var intervenes and cancels everything. The last minutes light up, on both sides: 5′ from the end the newcomer Zanimacchia splinters the crossbar with a right from the edge, on the overturning in front Luvumbo has the knockout ball on his left twice. Orsato concedes 7 minutes of added time and in the final there is still room for a new guest attempt with Viola’s free-kick, neutralized by Chichizola. The 0-0 doesn’t move and means celebration and final for Ranieri’s boys.