Serie A: Salernitana-Bologna 1-1, goals from Arnautovic and Zortea

From our correspondent Matteo Dalla Vite

February 26
– Salerno

Zortea replies to Arnautovic but it is not the perfect ending for Salernitana: Nicola had to win, he tried and tried again, he changed the offensive device but Bonazzoli’s absence weighed heavily. Mihajlovic, meanwhile, found Arnautovic’s ninth goal and struggles to define equal after the crossbar hit by Samson in the 43rd minute of the second half, even if it was Salernitana who did a lot of the match. Moral: for the Campanians the climb is still tough, while for Bologna the Middle Earth seems – for now – a marble custom.

RIGOR, ROCCHI AND ARNA 9

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Nicola’s Salernitana came from three points in the last five games, Bologna from four in the last five with the victory against La Spezia after 61 days of abstinence. The Campanians do not have Bonazzoli (6 goals so far) but Ribery yes, together with Verdi and Djuric (4 goals up to yesterday); Sinisa Mihajlovic repeats the 3-4-3, then the “Boa” in front (Barrow, Orsolini, Arnautovic) and with the inclusion of Medel (reinstated from qualifying) and Soumaoro from 1 ‘(in place of Bonifazi). Having said that it was a game of various former players – on the field (Verdi) and off (Sabatini, who was director of the technical area of ​​Bologna and Montreal in the first leg; today he is the Salernitana ds) – the start immediately sees the bells start with great intensity: Ederson (3 ‘) takes very little to try from outside the area and his shot ends just wide. For Bologna there are three flare-ups (by Arnautovic, Barrow and Orsolini) but the rest of the first half lives almost under water due to the thrust of Salernitana who attacks from the right and from the left and which is assigned, and then removed, a penalty kick: it is 27 ‘pt and initially Ayroldi (under the eyes of the Rocchi designator, in the stands) assigns the penalty for Orsolini’s intervention on Ribery but Orsato (Var) calls him back to the OFR and shows him that he is the French striker to hit the right leg of the Bolognese. No penalty and Bologna, despite having escaped the danger, failed to pick up the team until the 43rd minute when an intelligent change by Orsolini brought the ball to Hickey, a perfect cross for Arnautovic’s head who, not followed by Dragusin, slips the ninth goal of the season and the third in a row.

ZORTEA AND SANSONE

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In the second half Nicola puts Gagliolo for Ranieri (because he has been booked) and moves the three behind Djuric; Sinisa Mihajlovic instead makes the first change after 18 ‘: Svanberg enters for Orsolini and Bologna passes to 3-5-2. Cover up. Safeguard, also because a few minutes earlier (5 ‘) Djuric had found himself one step away from equal with Skorupski’s shot that found himself in… belly. But Salernitana’s efforts have a good outlet: the Campania coach changes three, including Zortea, on loan from Atalanta. His shot deflected by Soumaoro in the 27th minute revived Arechi and a team that absolutely needed to win even to catch Genoa. From 1-1 onwards, Bologna becomes sad, lives off other flames (crossbar from Sansone, who took over) then Skorupski saves a free kick from Mazzocchi with a salvific flight. Even if she has two games to recover, Salernitana had to win and didn’t make it despite having always kept the match on with will and full gusts: nothing is lost, but the hope is a little bit loose.