Italian Cup round of 32: Stroppa’s team wins at home with a late goal after goals from Bertolacci and Vita
He had to suffer and fight until the last of the 120 minutes of extra time, bringing in the strongest player, Massimo Coda, who finally solved it. Thus, at the end of a match full of suffering, Cremonese earned the round of 16 of the Italian Cup at the Olimpico against Roma. A challenge that already took place in the last edition (but in the quarterfinals) with the grey-red team. Coda was sent in at the start of the second extra period and in the 120th minute he threw it in. Cremonese seemed to have closed it out in the 90 minutes, after Bertolacci’s opener in the 48th minute and Frare’s expulsion in the 53rd minute, but they wasted too much, especially with Okereke, and were punished by Vita, then saving themselves one step away from penalties . In any case, Stroppa’s team somehow brought it home and so, four days after the championship match, the Grigiorossi are still the ones who got the better of Cittadella.
race blocked
—
Lots of turnover for Stroppa who puts Jungdal in goal, Tuia (debut in grey-red) at the center of defence, Bertolacci as director and Ciofani to team up with Tsadjout. Cittadella also gives space to those who haven’t played much up until now: Negro in the middle of the back four, the Maistrello-Magrassi pair in front with Mastrantonio behind them. Very fragmented first half and rather staid rhythms. It’s Cittadella who tries to set up the game, coming close to taking the lead in the quarter of an hour with a nice overhead kick from Negro: central ball and Jungdal saves. Shortly afterwards Mastrantonio has the good ball on the right, but Tuia does well to clear it for a corner. The Cittadella tries to sink but the maneuver often stops at the trocar, where the last step is missing. Cremonese on the other hand showed up only once with Sekulov in the 25th minute, but his shot was saved without much difficulty by Maniero.
queue decides
—
In the second half Cremonese started with another attitude and immediately took the lead thanks to the rediscovered Andrea Bertolacci who, after a good exchange with Ciofani, speared Maniero. Shortly afterwards Frare takes down Ciofani who throws him towards the net, gets the second yellow card and leaves his team with ten men. From then on, Cremonese seemed in control and came close to scoring several times: the opportunity wasted in the 73rd minute by Okereke who discarded three and then fired wide was incredible. Okereke again, five minutes in, has a great chance but Maniero is good at blocking. Thus, after many wastes, Vita equalises, capable of throwing in a prodigious clearance from Jungdal. We go to extra time: practically nothing happens in the first half. In the second Abrego tries with his head and the ball goes out just a little. Then it’s Okereke’s turn, but they need Coda’s push (ball into the corner to the right of Maniero) to earn the trip to Rome.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED