Lecco – Sampdoria does its thing and passes to Lecco. Dirty, painful match, won only when the hosts, who honored the match and the championship in a great way, were left with 10 men, with Lepore’s expulsion in the 28th minute of the second half for a foul on Pedrola.
But what matters were the 3 points, which effectively guarantee Pirlo’s team excellent playoff chances. Now Sampdoria is seventh, overtaking Brescia (who drew 2-2 against Feralpisalò) and has a 3-point advantage over the pair of ninth, Sudtirol-Reggiana. While Palermo’s defeat at the Picco against Spezia allows the Blucerchiati to set their sights on 6th place, the objective of the season finale. We are only 3 points behind the rosanero, with two days to go. The next round sees Sampdoria-Reggiana and Palermo-Ascoli.
Pirlo on the Ceppi Rigamonti synthetic field lines up the formation he worked on at Mugnaini. Verre and Alvarez replace the suspended Borini and Esposito. A practically unprecedented pair, never together from the start and overall only a scant half hour in the second half against Parma at the Ferraris. In defense there is Leoni and not Piccini, a choice due to the synthetic pitch in Lecco, which could have created problems for Piccini’s muscles.
Ricci is seen again in midfield, last presence in Pisa, for Darboe, also not at his best physically. Andrea Conti has been resurrected among those called up, and on the bench the Doria coach can count on Pedrola and the recovered De Luca. Around 2,000 Blucerchia supporters in the stands. Matteo Manfredi is absent. Also in the stands were Genoa president Alberto Zangrillo, who lives near Lecco, and Torino sporting director Davide Vagnati. In Lecco’s 4-3-3, already relegatedLepore and Celjak return to defense from disqualification, while Parigini is preferred to Crociata up front.
Images from the playing field (photo gallery)
Lecco-Sampdoria, images from the playing field
In the Secolo XIX selection, some images from the Lecco-Sampdoria playing field
The start is from Lecco, proactive and courageous. In the 4th minute, following a corner, a melee in front of Stankovic ends with a close-range overhead kick by Bianconi just wide. Sampdoria struggled to raise the pace and center of gravity and in the 15th minute they found themselves exposed on a counterattack by the Blucelesti on the right flank, Sersanti being too generous instead of shooting, looked for an assist for Buso on the left, making a mistake in finishing. But the real scoring opportunity for the hosts came in the 17th minute, Caporale entered the area and shot over the crossbar from an excellent position.
Lecco can blame itself for having failed to score in this phase of territorial and physical supremacy. Because from this moment on Sampdoria begins to find themselves, Yepes and Ricci enjoy a fair amount of freedom and when the Blucerchiati attack they give the feeling of always being able to be dangerous even though they don’t create clear opportunities in the first half. At 19′ the first ring, Verre verticalizes for Murru control and conclusion rejected by Melgrati. In the 31st minute Ricci tries from outside, high. And in the 32nd minute Kasami in midfield triggers a restart by Stojanovic who enters the Lecco area but instead of kicking he tries and fails to finish.
Lecco-Sampdoria, warm-up
Upon returning from the changing rooms there is Benedetti in place of Kasami. Then in the 8th minute Murru also had to come off due to muscle problems, replaced by Giordano. The initial phase of the second half was balanced and was broken in the 9th minute by a right-footed shot from outside by Alvarez. Lecce’s first substitution is the central striker, Inglese for Novakovich. In the 15th minute Stankovic clears a very dangerous cross from Caporale and four minutes later Pirlo changes the attack, Alvarez and Verre out, De Luca and Pedrola in. And the two prove decisive. In the 28th minute it was the Spaniard himself, who entered very well, who caused the expulsion of Lepore, who knocked him down with a bad move at the height of the Lecco bench.
The referee Tremolada initially he gives the yellow, then he is called back by the VAR and corrects it to red. It’s the episode that changes the end of the game. First of all it makes her nervous but above all it opens up for Sampdoria those spaces that until then they had not been able to create with the game. Malgrati brings in a defender, Lemmens for Ionita and switches to 4-4-1. While Pirlo also plays the Ntanda card, Ricci out, and in the 36th minute following developments from a corner, De Luca returns Pedrola’s shot into the net. Tenth goal of the season for the Doria striker, who celebrated it with the gesture of the “swan”, his nickname. The end of the game was simple at this point, with the lead and the extra man. Yepes and Ntanda could have doubled their lead, but it ended 1-0. And that’s fine.
The report cards
Sampdoria
Stankovic 7
Only one real but decisive save. Especially at the start, Lecco shoots a lot, even from an excellent position and causes thrills, but never finds the target. In the second half, however, he has to think about it, super reflexes on Inglese’s close-range attempt: at 0-0 it counts as a goal
Lions 6
Buso is a challenging, fast opponent. Sin of youth in the 2nd minute, when he stops it for a foul and concedes a dangerous free kick. But in the end he suffers more on the other side as he takes measures over time
Ghilardi 6
First 45 minutes of back and forth with Novakovich, physical fight. Inglese plays more than foil, he moves well but it’s not the best of his days. It doesn’t shine but it doesn’t collapse. And in the opponent’s area he always creates apprehension, he tries twice, once in each half, but doesn’t find the target.
Gonzalez 5.5
In the first half there was a lot of dancing on his side, Parigini put him in difficulty, ditto Sersanti when he entered. Too staid, he doesn’t show off the strength seen on other occasions but like others he improves in the second half
Stojanovic 6.5
Few outlets on the right, in the first 45′ with a Samp team struggling to play. Better when he tries the central strike, but misses the last touch on the edge of the area and perhaps even the choice because he could have shot. He comes out at a distance, pushes hard in the end, even in search of doubling his lead
Yepes 6.5
A few too many worries in the first half. It’s not easy on muddy synthetic surfaces for two lightweights like him and Ricci. But Gerry never gives up, he finds the key to the problem in the second half, touches many balls, and when Verre gives him the wing he triples his energy. He tries to double the lead with a right-footed save from Melgrati, an appointment with the goal still postponed
Ricci 6
He returns after almost three months. The pairing with Yepes is not ideal, the two look alike and physically pay a price but during the match they find their balance. In the first half hour he often finds himself chasing, trying to shake himself with a high, unpretentious right foot. Better in the second half, he lets himself go and shows more determination, Alvarez’s goal is born from one of his intercepted balls. Then he runs out of time on Sersanti and is booked (22′ st Ntanda 6 with him in front the attack finds more consistency and De Luca has more room for manoeuvre. He comes close to doubling the lead at the end with a curling shot that grazes the post)
Murru 6
I started in difficulty, together with Facundo: on his side, Lecco created a lot. However, Doria’s first shot also came from him, in the 19th minute, launched by Verre, it committed Melgrati. He rolls up his sleeves and tries to react, saving in the 35th minute in the area before heading Lepore. He goes out due to muscle problems (7 ‘st Giordano 6 Not always precise but his running helps when you have to push)
Kasami 4.5
He misses more than one touch, confirming his difficult moment. The best thing when he triggers Stojanovic’s descent but serves the real Pat as soon as possible (1st minute Benedetti 6.5 comes with a sliding save in the area, he comes from a complicated year and isn’t always impeccable, but he has quality and personality and comes in with the determination of those who do not accept equals. First advanced, then further back, he makes himself useful)
Verre 5.5
Verre is not the best but of the three in front he is the only one to give any signals. He is the one who launches Murru for Doria’s first shot. Slow pace but every now and then he tries to invent something, he doesn’t always succeed but he gets Degl’Innocenti booked in the second half
(19′ st Pedrola 7 is the best match since his return. Decisive twice. The first because he gets Lepore sent off, the second for the play on the wing which gave rise to De Luca’s goal. He can still grow a lot but he is finding his dribbling, if he aims at you it’s hard to stop him)
Alvarez 4.5
Another chance fails. He struggles to establish himself in front, he even gets simple things wrong: Yepes verticalizes, he stops backwards instead of launching himself into space. In the second half he has a good ball on the right, he shoots out. Then he takes a risk with a backward pass that triggers a restart for Lecco (19′ st De Luca 7 starts well with a nice opening for Giordano. He has the fluidity, he hits like a killer on the first good ball, he anticipates everyone on the carom near the goal. With him it’s another Sampdoria. He gives away three very important points, tenth goal of the season: the Swan is back
Pirlo 6.5
Three heavy absences due to disqualification: Depaoli, Borini and Esposito. And some Blucerchiati not at their best. Ricci relaunches, focuses on Verre and Alvarez up front but Doria struggles in the first half. The synthetic pitch is terrible, Lecco has more physicality and you suffer. In the second half he runs for cover, Benedetti does better than Kasami, De Luca and Pedrola are decisive and with Ntanda I increase the offensive weight. Dirty match but knowing how to suffer is important. The playoffs are closer, we need to guarantee them against the Reggiana of his friend Nesta
Lecco
Melgrati 6; Lepore 4, Celjak 6, Bianconi 5.5, Caporale 6.5; Sersanti 6.5, Degl’Innocenti 6 (22′ st Crociata 5), Ionita 6 (22′ st Lemmens5.5); Parigini 6.5 (22′ st Guglielmotti 5.5), Novakovich 6 (11′ st Inglese 5), Buso 6 (22′ st Lunetta5.5)
Trainer: Malgrati 6
Referee: Tremolada 5.5
Correct management of cards. He makes a mistake when he warns Lepore for slipping on Pedrola with his foot on his knee, the VAR saves him and draws the inevitable red card
Samp, Pirlo: “Important victory, De Luca and Pedrola did well. The playoff objective is there: against Reggiana we’ll put everything at stake”
Sampdoria suffers, resists and wins. In Lecco the Blucerchiati won three important points in
the race for the playoffs. Now Doria is seventh, awaiting another match not to be missed on Sunday at Marassi is Nesta’s Reggiana, who are among the pursuers, three behind Andrea Pirlo’s team. “The objective is there, now we have to stay focused – warns the Blucerchiati coach at the end of the match – an important direct clash awaits us. We play it all. We are happy to have given satisfaction to the many fans who came here to Lecco but now we immediately think about the next one. Sixth place goal? We don’t have to race anyone, but think about ourselves: if we win we’re in. We will find three important players returning from suspension (Depaoli, Esposito and Borini), we will have to give everything. Eriksson will also be there, a great character who made history, not only at Sampdoria: we want to honor him with a victory.”
Pirlo analyzes the victory like this: “It was a hard-fought match, it’s not easy to come to this pitch (synthetic ed.) we’re not used to it, Lecco puts pressure, plays, we knew it wouldn’t be a walk in the park, we stayed in the game, the players who entered in the second half brought new energy, we exploited the numerical superiority in the best way. We had to play this match, fight and we did it by bringing home the three points which were the most important thing the best victories, of the team, even those who played less played their part, those who entered the second half were good at being ready. Only with the strength of the group could we find a fundamental victory.”
The coach praises Pedrola and De Luca, who were decisive in the second half: “For them it was an injection of confidence, Pedrola lacked being decisive, targeting the man which is his main skill, when he targets you it hurts: he we waited a long time, he had many problems but we know that he has different qualities compared to the other players, we hope that De Luca is always well and found the goal immediately, he had been out for about ten days, now we hope to have everyone for the next match On Sunday, the two of them and Benedetti did well and brought quality.”
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