Mamma Mia, That Viviani Goal!
MD32: Bari is back. Federico Viviani's goal. And 3 points separate the Top 5
Lecce and Brescia are the big movers on Matchday 32 of Serie B, Monza and Pisa stumble, and Spal gifts us the goal of the round via the Totti-like right boot of Federico Viviani.
La Leonessa and la Strega are both gunning for Top 4
Brescia dominated Vicenza on Sunday — 23 goal attempts to 5 — as Eugenio Corini won his first match back in charge of Le Rondinelle. Stefano Moreo’s header and Marko Pajac’s penalty secured a 2–0 victory at the Rigamonti.
*Highlights are geo-blocked for those inside Italy.
Benevento demolished high-flying Pisa 5–1 at the Stadio Ciro Vigorito on a rainy Saturday evening. Artur Ionita ensured that Nerazzurri fans felt maximum pain from start to finish, volleying home in the third minute of play.
Gennaro Acampora’s powerful cross bounced in off Antonio Caracciolo’s chest to give the Stregoni a two-nil lead at the break. It looked bleak for Luca D’Angelo as Riccardo Improta — all alone at the back post — put away Roberto Insigne’s spectacular assist four minutes into the second period.
Francesco Forte worked tirelessly and eventually headed in for 4–0 but ex-Benevento attacker, George Puscas, rammed his point-blank volley into the roof of the net to salvage some pride for the Pisani.
Andres Tello returned from suspension and angled in his side’s fifth in the 88th-minute, capping off a red-letter day for Fabio Caserta who can now plot a Top 2 finish should Benevento take maximum points from forthcoming encounters against Vicenza, Cosenza and Pordenone.
Relegation Update. Code Red…this is NOT A DRILL
Pordenone, Cosenza and Vicenza all lost to Ascoli, Parma and Brescia respectively as Crotone and Alessandria cut back deficits to earn a vital point each against Perugia and Spal.
With just six games remaining - and ten points away from the Playout Zone - the Ramarri held on for dear life until the 84th-minute header from Ascoli’s Federico Baschirotto which killed off any hopes of capturing a meaningful result for last-placed Pordenone.
Crotone scrapped a one-all draw — putting a dent in the Grifone’s playoff hopes — with Perugia at the Ezio Scida on Sunday. Mirko Maric scored the leveler from the spot, effectively canceling out Marco Olivieri’s fourth goal of the season.
Cosenza, who has a game in hand with Benevento up its sleeve, was dominated 3–1 by a valiant Parma side in Calabria. Adrían Bernabé accomplished his first brace in professional football while Danilo notched up his debut goal for the Ducali.
The Wolves had plenty of chances and it took a calmly dispatched Joaquín Larrivey penalty to get on the scoresheet. Parma extends its unbeaten run to eight, the day belonging to Berbabé, the Spaniard dazzled the Stadio San Vito Gigi Marulla with two spectacular finishes.
Goal of the Season?
Perhaps Federico Viviani has been brushing up on Francesco Totti’s and Roberto Carlos’ “best of” collection in recent weeks. Traveling SPAL fans were treated to the midfielder’s audacious cannonata from 40 yards at the Stadio Giuseppe Moccagatta on Saturday.
Anyway, let’s get to all four goals in this 2–2 draw with Alessandria. Underrated Grigi striker, Simone Corazza, tapped in his 10th of the campaign to open the scoring from close range but the Biancazzurri responded with two of their own.
The first, a header from Elio Capradossi, and then a breathtaking set-piece from Viviani in the 50th minute, well worth replaying a dozen times over. Scroll below for the Alessandria-SPAL highlights.
Thanks to Michele Marconi’s close-range equaliser, L’Orso (26) edges two points clear of Vicenza and Cosenza, but dwell seven points shy of Spal who looks set to avoid an awkward PlayOut tie in May.
Cremonese was held by Reggina as Andrey Galabinov’s penalty canceled out Daniel Ciofani’s opener and the match ended 1–1 at the Stadio Giovanni Zini.
Le Tigri are still roaring in outright first-place, with 60 league points, with Lecce, Pisa, Brescia and Monza all within three points.
Lecce edges Frosinone
Five’s a crowd, and Frosinone (now 8th) looks destined to make up the PlayOff numbers following their 1–0 defeat at Lecce.
Massimo Coda — who else? — scored the only goal of the game, his 19th, at the Via del Mare, timing his run to perfection to head in Francesco Di Mariano’s cross to send the Salentini back up into second place.
Cittadella thought they’d stolen a point after equalising in the 90th, but Alfredo Donnarumma ruined the party at the Stadio Pier Cesare Tombolato as Ternana won it 2–1 in stoppages, spawning a traffic jam in mid-table.
Donnarumma first chipped into an empty net in the 40th, then headed the winner…into the empty net in the 94th-minute while Camillo Tavernelli threaded his shot through a crowd, notching up his first of the campaign.
Monza dominated for much of the game at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia but Alberto Cerri and Antonino La Gumina steered the Lariani to a 2-0 victory, abating Giovanni Stroppa’s aspirations of a top two finish.
Cittadella, Ternana, Como and Reggina have accrued 44 points from 32 matches. Frosinone, who lost to Lecce, has a healthy 7 point lead over the quartet of Serie A hopefuls.
All the Matchday 32 Results
A big statement was made by Benevento and Lecce as Parma and Spal ensured they will both contend the upcoming 2022/23 Serie B season.
Leading Scorers MD32
Massimo Coda stretches his lead to 7 over Gabriel Streffezza and Ternana’s Alfredo Donnarumma. Maric, Corazza, Cerri and Galabinov all added to their tallies.
The Serie B Table on MD32
Playoffs: The Top 8 have detached from the peloton. Benevento has a game in hand with Cosenza to come which could make it just a three-point gap between 1st place and 6th!
PlayOuts and Relegation: Pordenone are too far away from the PlayOut zone with just six rounds remaining. Crotone still has a slither of hope and could make a late splash if the Sharks win at Vicenza on Matchday 33.
Remaining Highlights from MD32
Lecce Frosinone, Crotone Perugia, Ascoli Pordenone, Cittadella Ternana, Como Monza, Cremonese Reggina
Next Games on Matchday 33
Top 8 sides: Reggina (hosts Benevento), Perugia and Cittadella (play each other) desperately require points if they’re to challenge Frosinone (away at Pordenone) and Ascoli (tough match in Monza) for their PlayOff spots.
PlayOut: Vicenza hosts Crotone in a relegation six-pointer while Cosenza travels up to Ferrara.
BARI IS BACK!
Aurelio De Laurentis will now have a team in Serie B for the 2022/23 season as Bari returns for the first time since 2017/18.
The Serie B Playoff dates have been announced
Play Off First Round
Friday, 13th May 6 v 7 (X), Saturday 14th May, 5 v 8 (Y).
PlayOut Dates
16th vs 17th of Serie B will be contested on Thursday, 12th of May and Friday, 20th of May (Home and Away).
Play Off Semifinal
Tuesday, 17th May. (X v 3) Wednesday, 18th May. (Y v 4) Saturday, 21st May. (3 v X) Sunday, 22nd May. (4 v Y)
Play Off Final
Thursday, May 26th and Sunday, May 29th.
Serie B Season 2022–2023 Calendar
Next season’s calendar is confirmed. The championship starts on Saturday 13 August and ends on Friday 19 May 2023. There will be a break for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with the 15th round taking place on November 12th and the resumption on boxing day, Monday December 26th.
READ MORE FROM DAVID
Maradona: 7 Goals in 7 Years at Napoli
Parma’s Alessandro Circati Interview
