Verona Breaks the Ice: A Stinging Defeat for Arezzo

Hellas Verona vs. Arezzo 5-0. On its third attempt, Hellas Verona finally broke through, securing its first well-deserved league victory against newly promoted Arezzo in front of 16,559 spectators, including 350 visiting fans. The final score was 5–0, with second-half goals scored by Zappa, Mulattieri, a brace by Cerbone, and Iannone. Standings (through Matchday 3): Hellas Verona 4, Arezzo 3. Next round: Benevento vs. Verona, Empoli vs. Arezzo.

First half. Hellas got off to a flying start, earning a corner after just 40 seconds; the ball was crossed into the box, but the referee blew the whistle for an offensive foul. The Tuscan side responded: Harroui was shown a yellow card. All the ingredients for a high-stakes match between a former top-flight side and a newly promoted team seem to be in place. Another corner for the Gialloblù; goalkeeper Nunziante punches it away, and the play fizzles out. Livramento crosses from the right; the ball cuts across the visitors’ box, which remains untroubled. In the 14th minute, Mulattieri heads the ball (weakly), and Nunziante makes a secure save. The Arezzo goalkeeper repeats the feat on Harroui’s shot from outside the box. The Tuscan side, with 3 points in the standings (an away win at Avellino, a home loss to Palermo), is holding off the Veronese team—galvanized by their Cup victory over Cagliari midway through last week but still winless in the league (a home loss to Ascoli, a draw in Padua in the derby).

So much so that Bucchi’s team makes its presence felt through Mattia Sala (25’), whose shot from outside the box sails high over the crossbar. Arezzo frequently plays with all its players in its own attacking third before launching counterattacks. Bradaric sent in a low cross from the left, but there were only defenders in the Arezzo box. While Verona struggled to create danger on the wings, the tide turned when the Gialloblù burst into the central channel. In the 37th minute, Livramento weaves his way through the defense, even getting past Nunziante, but just as he’s about to slot the ball into the empty net, Righetti makes a last-second save to keep Arezzo in the game. In the 40th minute, Illanes tries to emulate his teammate with a desperate attempt to stop Mulattieri, who’s charging toward the goal, but commits a foul on the Verona player: red card, Arezzo down to 10 men. Bucchi immediately substitutes Arena for Coppolaro. The Tuscan side isn’t intimidated and pushes forward again, with Leali and his defensive teammates closing ranks. Four minutes of stoppage time; everyone heads to the locker rooms.

Second half. Coming on at the start of the second half: Suslov for Verona; Cerri and Cagnano for Arezzo. And Hellas strikes right away: this time, it’s Sarr who beats Nunziante at the corner of the Arezzo box, but his low cross is easily cleared by the Tuscan defense. In the 4th minute, Bradaric crosses the ball; Zappa bursts in and, beating Righetti to it, catches the goalkeeper off guard and slots it home with a hip flick: Verona–Arezzo 1–0. Arezzo tries to respond, but Verona is ready to hold its ground. First Bradaric, then Livramento, and finally Suslov: Nunziante says no. The Tuscan goalkeeper is powerless to stop Mulattieri’s header (12’) off a cross from the ever-reliable Bradaric: Verona–Arezzo 2–0. The Tuscan side, down to 10 men since the end of the first half, fails to create any danger, while Hellas is a runaway train, now unstoppable. The third goal at the half-hour mark was scored by two substitutes: Iannone sent in a low cross, and Cerbone burst in to tap it in from close range—Verona–Arezzo 3–0. Cerbone added a fourth goal (33’): he sprinted down the middle and beat Nunziante to make it 4-0. Verona was insatiable: Suslov sent in a low cross, and Iannoni slotted home the fifth goal. Two minutes of stoppage time, then the final whistle: Verona-Arezzo 5-0.