Serie B playoffs, Cagliari-Parma 3-2: comeback victory with super Luvumbo

Ranieri’s tears at the end are the perfect image of an incredible evening. The coach rejoices in disbelief after Zito Luvumbo’s 3-2: the Angolan striker is the man of the match. He came on in the 46th minute in place of Pavoletti and decided the match: he scored the first goal of his, conceded the penalty scored by Lapadula and signed the comeback goal. Parma seemed to have closed the match already in the first half with a 2-0 lead from Benedycazk and Sohm, but the Gialloblù made a lot of mistakes in defense and suffered the reversal of the hosts. Saturday 3 June the return to the Tardini, last 90 minutes before the final.

Parma domain

—

At Unipol Domus many chances right from the first minutes. Cagliari moves the ball, Lapadula is the only striker: behind him are Pavoletti, Mancosu and Nandez. Ranieri’s team tries to break through, but at the first opportunity it’s the Gialloblù who take the lead. The maneuver of the guests is perfect. Vazquez carries the ball, unloads for Sohm, he serves Benedyczak: the Polish striker with his right-footed pass through Radunovic: 0-1 in the 9th minute. Immediately afterwards, the Argentine attacking midfielder born in ’89 pulls wide, on the reversal in front of Mancosu engages Buffon from distance. The rhythms are very high. In the 25th minute Pecchia’s formation restarted on the counterattack: Estevez found Sohm, the Swiss midfielder left Zappa in place and mocked the goalkeeper at the near post. Parma doubled up and the hosts struggled to react. On 30′ again Mancosu finds Buffon’s gloves on a free-kick from the edge of the area.

Red and blue heart

—

In the second half Buffon does not return to the field, in his place Chichizola. For the goalkeeper with contracture in his right calf, he will be evaluated in the next few hours. Cagliari also changes: Pavoletti and Rog out, Luvumbo and Deiola in. Ranieri tries to shuffle the cards to make up for the two-goal disadvantage. The Sardinians raise the pressure, without finding the right space. Parma closes together, but suffers the attacks and begins to suffer. In the 68th minute Cobbaut falls asleep, Nandez passes him on the right and crosses into the area: Luvumbo receives it, who passes the goalkeeper with his left foot: it’s 1-2. The guests get too low and in the 83rd minute they make mistakes again: Mihaila lands the usual Luvumbo in the area, it’s a penalty. Lapadula goes to the spot, he scores 24 goals between the championship and the playoffs. In the final there is also time for the turnaround, the Angolan forward is the man of the match. In the 89th minute Lapadula runs to the right, crosses into the area but Juric doesn’t sweep, Luvumbo checks and puts it in the net: 3-2, incredible at Unipol Domus. Thus ends, what an evening for Cagliari. Appointment on Saturday at the Tardini for the final challenge.