Frosinone celebrates, Empoli saved in extremis, Pescara, Reggiana and Spezia weep: B verdicts

Frosinone will keep Venezia company in Serie A: this is the most awaited verdict at the top of the cadet league standings after the last of the regular season. The giallazzurri, who overwhelmed Mantova with a clear 5-0 win (Calò on a penalty, Castellini’s own goal, goals by Ghedjemis, Raimondo and Koutsoupias) came within one point of the Lagunari, who won 2-0 over Palermo (Doumbia and Compagnon in goal): for Venezia it is the third Serie B championship victory in its history, after the 1960-61 and 1965-66 editions.

The same Palermo is part of the batch of teams that will contend for the third promotion to the top division: the Rosanero finished fourth behind Monza, which drew 2-2 (Petagna and Delli Carri after Stiven Shpendi’s lead, equalizer by the same Italo-Albanian striker at 91′) finishing five points away from direct promotion. Brianzoli and Sicilians go directly to the semifinals of the postseason.

Catanzaro, Modena, Juve Stabia and Avellino will play the first round instead. The Giallorossi were defeated by Bari 3-2 at home (Giallorossi lead by Verrengia, Apulian goals by Moncini and Piscopo, the latter the author of a brace, penalty in the final by Koffi), the Canarini lost 1-0 right in Irpinia (Bagheria’s own goal for the playoff qualification of Ballardini’s men) while the Vespas were stopped at 1-1 at home by Südtirol (Gabrielloni’s goal was answered by Crnigoj).

Out of the games, but still safe, were Mantova, Padova and Cesena (Romagnoli beaten at home by the biancoscudati themselves 4-3, with home goals by Cristian Shpendi, Cerri and Shpendi again and goals by Patavini Di Maggio, scoring a brace, Caprari and Seghetti), along with Carrarese, Sampdoria and Entella (the latter victorious 2-1 precisely against the Carrarini thanks to goals by Tirelli and Cuppone that made Zanon’s mark useless).

With Empoli saved in extremis, it is Südtirol, fresh from a dreadful last period of the championship (the last victory remains that of March 3 over Reggiana, then four draws and six defeats) that will play for permanence with Bari: the Galletti have momentarily avoided the C with a final rush that made them rise from last place, but they are still not safe from further risks.

Finally, Pescara, Reggiana and Spezia say goodbye to the company. Abruzzesi and Aquilotti draw 1-1 in the last round’s direct clash (Artistico responds to Faraoni), while the granata emiliani beat already-saved Samp 1-0 with Novakovich’s goal, but are forced into a relegation they could have avoided only with a miraculous combination of favorable results.