Serie C, playoffs: Cerignola, Gubbio and Pro Sesto win. Pescara and Ancona draw

The Apulian derby ends 4-1, in Umbria 2-0. Draws for Zeman’s Pescara in Verona and between Ancona and Lecco. Pro Sesto beat Vicenza 2-1

Goals and entertainment in all five matches that opened the national stage of the playoffs, with three home wins and two draws. We will return to the field on Monday evening in the second leg, at the home of the top seeds who will go through in the event of an overall tie in the 180′ (there is no overtime). In the meantime, here is everything that happened in the early 90s.

Virtus Verona-Pescara 2-2
The adventure in the playoffs of Zeman’s Pescara begins with an equal, in the challenge at the antipodes with the Virtus Verona of the president-coach Gigi Fresco. Put on the ropes in the first minutes, the biancazzurri unlocked it with a great goal from the jewel Delle Monache, who led the counterattack and swerved into the area by crossing a winning right foot. However, the tide of the match changed: Virtus equalized before the break with captain Danti and took the lead halfway through the second half thanks to substitute Casarotto, who resolved a scrum in the box. In a very lively challenge, Delle Monache (first brace among professionals) still found the draw well primed by Merola at the end of a high quality action, with Virtus finishing in ten for Tronchin’s expulsion.

Cerignola-Foggia 4-1
Noisy fall of Delio Rossi’s Foggia, beaten for the third time this season in the derby with Cerignola. Al Monterisi ends 4-1 for Michele Pazienza’s team, who grew up as a player in Foggia. Split match already in the first half: Achik scores on a penalty (foul by Leo on the same Moroccan) and doubles the former Sainz Maza, again on a free kick as he had already done in the previous round with Monopoli. After the interval Bjarkason shortens, but Cerignola takes off again with two goals from Maza and with D’Ausilio, as usual decisive when he comes on from the bench. To complicate the Rossoneri mission in view of the second leg, the muscle injuries of Ogunseye and Odjer forced to leave the field.

Pro Sesto-Vicenza 2-1
Always widely beaten in the two direct clashes in the championship, Pro Sesto takes revenge by overcoming Vicenza in game 1 (in this round as winner of the Italian Cup): everything happens at Breda in the second half, with Andreoletti’s team ahead thanks to Capelli (second consecutive goal, after the one against Renate) and Sala, who plays for his hometown team. In the final, it was defender Ierardi’s header – on his seventh goal of the season – that kept Thomassen’s team in the game, who would still need to win with any score at Menti to go through.

Gubbio-Entella 2-0
In the generational challenge on the bench (1000 among the professionals for Piero Braglia, 100 all with Entella for Gennaro Volpe), the most expert wins. The Gubbio of the Grosseto coach knocks out the Ligurians with a deadly one-two from Bulevardi (a surprise move, in a more advanced position) and Di Stefano at the start of the second half, then resisting from that moment in ten for Morelli’s red card.

Ancona-Lecco 2-2
The second 2-2 of the evening is that of the Del Conero stadium, even found in a comeback by the hosts in an exciting final. Lecco ahead just before half an hour with Celjak’s paw, on the development of a free kick. Then comes a woodwork on each side (Giudidici’s big right-footed volley would have been a dream goal, deflected by Perucchini onto the crossbar) and the second goal from Buso’s shot deflected by De Santis. Prezioso reopens it in the fray, but then we enter the Ancona area: for the third time in these playoffs, Donadel’s team scores at the end and finds a precious equal with Petrella to go and play for it in the second leg.

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