Monza-Lecce 1-1: goals from Krstovic and Colpani

It ends 1-1 between Monza and Lecce. The Salento team finds themselves fourth – and the only unbeaten team in Serie A together with Inter and Juve – awaiting Atalanta and Verona. The Brianza players, on the other hand, take a point by waiting to find certain automatisms again. Krstovic and Colpani scored (three goals out of his three for Monza). And the teams close in ten for the reds in Baschirotto and Caldirola.

two-sided first half

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Colombo starts and Caprari behind him together with Colpani. Monza thus starts wrapped in the traditional 3-4-2-1. Challenge of the 9 therefore, with Krstovic on the other side of Lecce’s central striker who settles with the 4-3-3 also focusing on Almqvist and Rafia. Di Gregorio is not playing due to a blow to the head suffered yesterday in training: this morning he woke up not in perfect condition and Palladino preferred to field Sorrentino (on his debut). Who after 55 seconds chooses very badly how to play a ball of foot. The slow rush on Caldirola, who was not very reactive. Almqvist anticipates him and is knocked down by the same defender. Yellow card and penalty. Krstovic makes no mistakes from the penalty spot, third goal of the championship for the Montenegrin. Shocking start for the Brianza players who are already down after 3′. Monza tries to bring order within itself and in the 5th minute they already get to the shot with Birindelli who crushes the diagonal too much, a wide ball. Lecce can organize the afternoon better, without anxiety. And without thinking that by winning in Monza he would be second with Juventus. Brianzoli are nervous, especially Pablo Marì who has to follow Krstovic like a shadow: in the 20th minute the yellow comes after he knocks him down to slow down his fast start towards Sorrentino. Monza takes 24′ then scores. Action started from the left (Caprari knocked out and replaced due to a blow to the right ankle) and finished by Colpani who exchanged with Colombo. The number 28 places the soft ball at the far post with his left foot. It’s 1-1 and the match is as if it’s starting again. Inside Mota Carvalho for Caprari and Monza surfs the wave. Gagliardini and Ciurria come close to the goal from outside, it is Lecce who must reposition themselves now. In the 30th minute Colombo threw a sensational opportunity from the edge of the six-yard box. The first half ends in a draw. Silvio Berlusconi, to whom his seat was dedicated forever with a commemorative plaque, would have been satisfied with the second part of these 45′.

taken from var

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We start again with Andrea Carboni on the pitch for Monza in place of Pablo Marì (warned and in difficulty). Lecce remains as in the beginning, with Rafia trying to distance himself as much as possible from Izzo, his guardian, in the role of left midfielder. After 6′ Colpani squandered a good opportunity by strangling his left foot to the near post from inside the area. D’Aversa’s first substitution is Blin for Rafia, asphyxiated by Izzo’s all-round marking. A few seconds and the game changes: direct red for Baschirotto in the 55th minute who comes in hard on Colombo, but first touches the ball. Marinelli is called back by the VAR to review the decision and confirms the direct red card. Lecce with ten players for a good half hour plus recovery time. Tense spirits from here on out, with the Salento bench protesting for a similar intervention by Birindelli on Banda punished “only” with a yellow card. In the 67th minute, a double sensational opportunity that Mota throws away. The attacker shoots from inside the area a first time centrally, blocked by Falcone, and a second time looking for the bottom corner without reaching the target. Palladino changes two players shortly after: Pedro Pereira and Maric for Birindelli and Colombo. Monza’s overtaking goal came from a corner in the 69th minute. Long corner, ball thrown in from the opposite side which hits the crossbar, Izzo serves Mota who finds a defender along the path, the ball rears up and Andrea Carboni acrobatically puts it in. There is something to review at the VAR and Marinelli proceeds: an offside makes all the celebrations at the U-Power Stadium in vain. D’Aversa proceeds with the two substitutions scheduled for a few minutes: Strefezza and Dorgu come on for Banda and Gallo. In the 76th minute Andrea Carboni was again close to scoring, with his deflection saved on the goal line. Gagliardini came close to scoring from the edge of the box in the 81st minute. One minute and Mota shoots again at Falcone, who does well to make himself useful once again. In the 85th minute Monza were left with ten men: Caldirola knocked out Piccoli on the restart, received a second yellow card and was then sent off. Nine minutes of added time, a mini-match inside the match and after 4′ Pongracic almost slips and scores an own goal. A minute later Gagliardini headers it too hard and the ball goes over the crossbar.