History Made: Monza in Serie A
PlayOff Final: Pisa remains in Serie B despite incredible start
Monza has qualified for a historical debut season in Italy’s Serie A competition after overcoming Pisa in extra-time at the Arena Garibaldi on Sunday.
Coming into the second leg with a 2–1 deficit, Pisa quickly took an aggregate lead in the opening ten minutes, however, a late Christian Gytkjær brace ensured that Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani return to the Italian top flight for the first time since 2017.
First leg: Monza led 2–1 on aggregate. Read about that here.
Second Leg Changes: Giovanni Stroppa made no changes from Tuesday’s starting XI while Luca D’Angelo promoted Ernesto Torregrossa, Giuseppe Sibilli and Nicholas Siega.
Kick Off at the Garibaldi
The home fans were treated to the 2–2 aggregate equaliser within 50 seconds as Ernesto Torregrossa took advantage of the breakdown in communication between defender and goalkeeper as Lorenzo Pirola allowed Pietro Berruato’s cross to bounce through to the Big Tower who turned in at the back post.
With Silvio Berlusconi watching from the stands, and a booming black and blue atmosphere, Pisa shot to a 3–2 aggregate lead in the 9th minute as Hjortur Hermannsson headed in another Berruato assist, the Icelandic international defender obtaining his first goal in Serie B since joining from Brøndby.
Three Pisa goals in just 11 minutes
Torregrossa and Hermannsson’s goals inside of 9 minutes meant that Pisa had turned the Final on its head within 11 minutes of the two-legged tie following Berra’s last gasp 93rd-minute header at the U-Power Stadium on Tuesday.
But Monza finds a way back
With Pisa dominating and Monza shell shocked, José Machin answered the call, striking truly into the top corner in the 20th minute. The tie was level once again as the Equitorial Guinean got his second PlayOff goal thanks to a Dany Mota assist.
Blow For Blow
With George Puscas curling his effort onto the bar, a worried Giovanni Stroppa opted to substitute an omnipresent Patrick Ciurria and turn to his leading goalscorer.
Christian Gytkjær needed just seven minutes to make things happen. Dany Mota provided and the Dane dispatched clinically into the corner — in front of the Pisa supporters — with 10 minutes of the 180 remaining.
As the seconds ticked down, and with the tie in Monza’s favour at 4–3, Luca D’Angelo threw everything he had left on the bench onto the pitch, and Giuseppe Mastinu volleyed in the goal that sent the game into extra time, and the City’s Tower shaking.
No friendly fire in Tuscany
To avoid a shootout in front of the hostile Pisani, Monza pressed to win Serie A promotion in general play.
Luca Marrone rose above Ahmad Benali to smash his header past Nicolas in the 96th. Gytkjær punished a Samuele Birindelli error to kick into an empty goal.
The Garibaldi had fallen.
Giovanni Stroppa leads his new club to Paradiso. The ex-Milanista returns to the top tier for the first time since his exit from Calabria in 2020/21,
The Serie B Final lived up to the hype
This was the best match of the campaign, watched by millions around the planet. Pisa will have to try all over again against Genoa, Venezia, Cagliari, Parma and Brescia next season.
History in the making
Monza will contest its first season ever in Serie A. Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani are back!
Commiserations to Pisa for a spectacular performance. What a climax to the best season ever of Serie B.
Reminder: Cagliari, Genoa and Venezia will be back in Serie B in August. Lecce and Cremonese were directly promoted after finishing in 1st and 2nd in 2021/22.
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Awesome! Happy to see Cremonese and Alex’s back in the top flight. Brings back childhood memories!