Depaoli and Lazovic in goal, Verona wins again at ‘Bentegodi’
Verona – Lecce 2-0 in Saturday’s 3 p.m. Serie A advance
It was an “in” or “out” game for Hellas Verona as they faced Lecce at the Bentegodi. Zaffaroni’s boys beat Baroni’s 2-0: pure oxygen in a fight for salvation. Gialloblù third last but the Zafferoni cure seems to be working: 2 victories (Lecce, Cremonese), one draw (Torino) and one defeat (Inter) since the Milanese coach joined Bocchetti at the technical helm. Standings: Verona 12, Lecce 20. Next round: Udinese-Hellas Verona (Jan. 30, 8:45 p.m.) and Lecce-Salernitana (Jan. 27, 8:45 p.m.).
First half. One opportunity on each side in the beginning. Colombo, great dexterity in the Verona area, minus the conclusion: to the side. Ditto on the other front that of Lasagna. Lazovic sprints centrally, tries to get past the extreme Falcone with a lob that ends up in the hands of the Lecce goalkeeper. Pugliesi under pressure, Veronesi defending as best they can. On the other front, Lasagna, well launched, enters the area and makes it 1-0 with a diagonal shot: nullified for offside. 28′, forced change in Hellas: in goes Magnani for injured Dawidowicz. 33′: Blin, served with a throw-in by Strefezza, takes a first-intention kick under the goal, moreover undisturbed: Montipò is miraculous in deflecting (35′), denying the Lecce goal. Montipò repeats himself in the 37′ on Strefezza. 40′: prolonged Hellas action, ball to Doig on the left, splendid cross to find, in the middle of the area, the head of Depaoli, the ball goes into the corner for Verona’s 1-0. In the recovery, the wild Depaoli from outside: everyone watching, the ball goes out just wide.
Start of the second half and Lecce’s first substitution: Baroni inserts Pezzella for Gallo. The score is the same as in the first half: Lecce ahead, Hellas on the throw-in. Ilic shows up after 45 minutes of anonymity: in the 7th minute great lunge, great conclusion, the ball prints on the crossbar. A minute later the Serbian serves a kissing ball for Lazovic: entering the area, he strikes Falcone for 2-0 Hellas. Verona insatiable with the usual Depaoli: bolide from outside, ball just wide. Lecce substitutions: inside Banda and Maleh. Hellas grows, the Apulian forwards are well controlled. In at half time Kallon, Sulemane, Terracino and Henry in the Scaligeri, in Lecce here is Tuia, Voelkerling. Now the ball of the game is in the hands of Zaffaroni’s boys who no longer suffer the Lecce pressure, winning 2-0. The only sore point for Hellas: exited on a stretcher Henry due to injury in the recovery.
