Two goals from Mosquera weren’t enough for Hellas Verona; Catanzaro equalized from the penalty spot: a draw at the “Bentegodi”
Not even Mosquera’s third two-goal game could bring a smile back to Hellas Verona, as the Scaligeri were held to a 2-2 draw by Catanzaro at the Bentegodi. The home team, hoping for three points to stay in contention at the top of the standings, came back from an early deficit only to be tied with a quarter of an hour left in the match. In front of 18,038 spectators, including 924 Calabrian fans, the draw resulted in boos for the Gialloblù at the final whistle and a faint smile from the Catanzaro camp, which ended a streak of two consecutive losses.
First half. Hellas came out strong: Iannone, Mosquera, and Sarr all took shots, but none found the net. On their first real attack, Catanzaro took the lead with a deadly diagonal shot by Candela (11’), while protests mounted from the Curva Sud. Verona responded well, but hitting the target remained a distant dream for the Gialloblù. The Calabrian defense was stoic, so much so that goalkeeper Pigliacelli had little to do.
On the counterattack, Candela took a volley; Perilli made the save, and it was fortunate for Hellas that there were no teammates nearby. Catanzaro came within a hair’s breadth of making it 2–0. Hellas tries its luck with high balls to no avail, until Verona realizes that only by keeping the ball on the ground can it turn the tide. Mosquera’s goal arrives right on cue in the 36th minute: a low cross from the left by Livramento finds “Bufalo,” who scores his fifth goal of the season—making it a breeze to tie the game at 1–1. In the 42nd minute, Sarr forced a great save from Pigliacelli on the last chance of the first half.
Second half. The start of the second half mirrored the first: Hellas with their foot firmly on the gas, Catanzaro barricaded in their own half. Now it’s an all-out assault on the Calabrian “stagecoach,” but Verona can’t find the winning touch—until the ball reaches Mosquera’s head in the 22nd minute off a corner kick by Sarr: 2-1 for Baroni’s Hellas. Catanzaro isn’t having it, and the tables turn in the blink of an eye: the visitors come out firing, with Candela once again proving decisive—he’s brought down by Calabrese, resulting in a penalty at the half-hour mark of the second half, which Pecorino converts from the spot to make it 2-2. There were no further thrills, and the match ended in a draw. Standings: Hellas Verona 8 points, Catanzaro 4. Next round: Hellas Verona vs. Pisa, Catanzaro vs. Ascoli.
