Salernitana-Cagliari 1-1: goals from Verdi and Altare

From our correspondent Francesco Velluzzi

May 8
– Salerno

There is no winner. Salernitana-Cagliari ends 1-1. With Davide Nicola’s grenades taking another small step forward towards the impossible mission of salvation and Cagliari that still has to suffer damnably. With a point to recover from the Campania region, but with a fight that widens and involves many teams. The Arechi playoff challenge ends in the right way. But for 31 minutes (from 68 ‘to 99’) Salernitana saw salvation practically achieved. Thanks to a penalty converted by Simone Verdi in a match that up to 23 ‘of the second half was still very balanced. On the goal of 10 grenade a gigantic brawl broke out that saw everyone involved, players, staff, benches, stewards, various employees. Cagliari has seen the abyss but has not been there. He attacked, as happens in these cases, sprawled, with his head down. But when he had found the penalty he saw it canceled and in an interminable, but just mega recovery, in the 9 ‘of recovery, in desperation, he found a draw with Giorgio Altare. A rude, physical defender, caught in C in Olbia, who alternates gross errors with excellent things. Now the battle continues. With the last two dramatic days. Empoli out and Udinese at Arechi for the grenades, Inter at home and Venice away for the rossoblùs. With Spezia and Sampdoria not yet sure of staying in Serie A and with Genoa and Venice who will also fight to make it.

MATCH

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But here’s the challenge. Cagliari also has close to the families of the players (initiative of the rossoblù wives) that Salernitana has accommodated in a hidden segment of the North curve (then moving to the side stand). There are few Sardinians, about 400, 28,000 from Salerno. In the stands, next to the large family of President Danilo Iervolino, there is the governor De Luca and the singer Rocco Hunt, now a very loyal one. Nicola waits for him after the pre-game warm-up and gives everyone a high five, one by one. The ballot in attack is won by Simone Verdi. Bonazzoli goes on the bench with Ribery and Zortea. On the outside there are still Mazzocchi and Ranieri. Agostini makes his debut in a suit and focuses on heart and experience: in Ceppitelli in defense, Rog, in his first time as a starter in this championship, Deiola in the middle and Pavoletti in front with Joao Pedro. Lykogiannis, who was not a starter since the home match with Juve, is also back. Arechi is a bedlam. The teams both start with 3-5-2. Cagliari keeps Djuric at bay with all the central players. There is tension and attention, and it shows. Cagliari seems more perky because every time Joao Pedro receives the ball it creates panic. Like when he triggers Pavoletti who is anticipated by Sepe. Then (on 13 ‘) he escapes to Gyomber, but Bohinen anticipates him for a corner. On Lykogiannis’ corner, Pavoletti manages to hit and sends out by a whisker. At 21 ‘again Joao, favored by another mistake by Gyomber, kicks but finds Sepe in two halves. The replica of the Salernitana arrives two minutes later from Verdi’s feet: outside. The first shot of the grenade. That in the second part of the time they gain the field, they look for the usual banks of Djuric and go inside the field with greater intensity. Without precision, however. Because the balls directed towards Cragno’s goal all go into the South Siberian curve and never return to the pitch. Same old habit. Cagliari tries to break through again, this time on the right with Bellanova’s percussion, but without a construct. Definitely balanced first half with a slight Sardinian prevalence.

SECOND HALF

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The restart sees Cagliari called to look for the break, but the Salernitana starts better and presses even with half wings. The game becomes even more tense. Bohinen pays the price and after 9 ‘gets the yellow card for a bad entry on Grassi. A tough yellow because he was warned and will not go to Empoli. The grenade bench protests. Another yellow: to the team manager. Agostini changes: Marin for Rog. Nicola also changes: inside Kastanos. Pavoletti also warned. Which enters into a warning. But here’s the most important episode: Kastanos, the right move, is hooked in the area. for Di Bello it is rigor. And from the Var room in Lissone, where Mazzoleni is located, confirmation arrives. Minute 23: Verdi on the spot. Transform. It is his sixth goal in the league (he scored one with Torino), the second goal in a row after the one against Venice. The grenade exultation near the Sardinian bench triggers the brawl. With Keita and Ribery, both off the pitch, go wild. Ribery is expelled. And also the second goalkeeper of the Sardinians Radunovic. Agostini, desperate, inserts Keita and Pereiro for Deiola and Pavoletti. For Cagliari it is a tremendous blow. And, as often happened to him in this championship, luck did not assist him: at 31 ‘Grassi hit the post from outside. Cagliari revolutionizes everything by including Baselli. Nicola removes Djuric and Verdi, throwing Bonazzoli and Perotti into the challenge. The doubling touches Ederson with his head, but even more Kastanos against whom Cragno is opposed as a champion. Cagliari finds only a header from Joao, but central. The Italian-Brazilian does not give up: he has Radovanovic warned. Recovery becomes six minutes. Cagliari presses, the tension is very high, every ball is at risk of a fight. And on the umpteenth shovel that the Sardinians throw in, Sepe gets out of his fist badly, loses the ball, tries to recover it by landing Baselli. It is rigor. But Di Bello is called back and goes to see the monitor. On the exit of Sepe a foul intervention by Lykogiannis is recognized. An escarpment in Sepe. He is confirmed. No penalty. Difficult decision, but right. But it doesn’t stop there. Because the anger of Cagliari is crazy and on Baselli’s corner there is Altare who stands out and equalizes. It is his first goal in A. He who came from C. There is another expelled, this time from the Cagliari bench. And after more than 10 minutes of recovery, Di Bello whistles the end.