Hellas Verona wins salvation clash
L'Hellas Verona wins the salvation clash
Hellas Verona made the salvation clash its own in a Bentegodi, lashed by cold and fog, against an excellent Empoli. Two to one the final with goals by Djuric and Ngonge in the’Hellas, Zurkowski for the’Empoli. Standings: Verona 17, Empoli 13. Next round: Roma-Hellas Verona (Saturday, Jan. 20, 6 p.m.), Empoli-Monza (Sunday, Jan. 21, 3 p.m.).
First half. The Tuscans try to immediately surprise the Gialloblù but è Hellas to take the lead at 3’: Duda from the crossbar, stands higher than all Djuric, fifth goal of the season, 1 to 0. Empoli cheeky going forward: Magnani miraculous in deflecting to the back of the net a sure shot conclusion by Malah, well lurking in the center of the area. Andreazzoli’s boys with the accelerator pressed but they leave the side to the Veronese counterattack. Tchatchoua almost surprises the extreme Caprile, who is good at lifting his shot-cross into a corner. Suslov tries from midfield, ditto above. On the’other front Gyasi, deadly shot, deflects Magnani again; then Fazzini s’slips into the central corridor, ready to strike at the edge, ball high.
Bravo, the Tuscan team, on the edge: quick, sometimes unpredictable phrasing, with equally quick conclusions. Like on 23’ Cambiaghi’s, good for Montipò and teammates that the strike ends in a side foul. Shaky defensive phase, Baroni’s: the midline fails to interdict sufficiently, leaving space for the Tuscan forwards to enter the area from every crevice. Beginning of fog over the Bentegodi, visibility good. Empoli looking for an equalizer: earning corners, sometimes putting the Gialloblù on the ropes. Like on 33’: Grassi wins a free kick from the limit in a central position, Fazzini’s touch for the same Grassi who kicks wide by a nothing. Thrill in the recovery, Folorunsho immolates himself in the Gialloblù area, deflecting in a corner from which nothing springs. Everyone in the locker room. At halftime the fog deepens but only for a few minutes. Visibilità, at the beginning of the resumption, returns good but will last for a short time.
Second half. Same formations on the field. This time è the Hellas to start off in a rocket, Serdar under the goal sees his possible double repelled by Caprile in the corner. The Gialloblù are reactive, Empoli is not. Andreazzoli tries to shake things up: in goes former Cancellieri and Zurkowski. 11': Ngonge from outside, unfortunate touch by Grassi that deceives Caprile: 2-0. Bentegodi in rapture. Veronese joy lasts just 7 minutes. The Tuscans open the match again: center from the right by Bereszynski, great twisting shot by Zurkowski, the ball slips under the cross: 2 to 1 for the joy of the 200 Tuscan fans. Empoli tries to get the first half game back on track, Baroni (22’) inserts Saponara for the injured Folorunsho. Match on the edge of the’balance.
Empoli attacks head-on, Hellas defends with its nails as the fog descends again on the Bentegodi. Corners and shivers abound for the Gialloblù Montipò è was good at clearing on Gyasi’s conclusion, on the rebound Luperto kicked out, thwarting the 2 to 2. The same Montipò è è was very good at coming out of the posts to make up for a wretched pass by Ngonge. Baroni inserts (35’) Henry and Dawidowicz in Verona. Andreazzoli inserts first Marin, Corona and Sodero at 41’ to desperately seek an equalizer. 42’; Duda sent off for double caution, Verona in 10. All of Hellas to protect their own 16 meters. Cancellieri tries, ball over the crossbar. Four minutes of recovery time. Baroni inserts Amione and Mboula. Montipò, last save, Empoli corner from which nothing springs. It ends here: Verona-Empoli 2 to 1.
