To the two splendid free-kicks of the amaranth playmaker, La Spezia responds with a penalty
After the rich transfer market of Salerno, begins with a draw the new course of the team Colantuono. Ends 2-2 to Arechi against Spice and it all happens in the first half: the hosts have the advantage twice thanks to as many spectacular free-kicks by gave, but always recovered from two penalties converted by Manage and Green. Campani always last in the standings, for Thiago Motta another small step towards salvation.
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THE MATCH
Verdi, Verde, Valeri and Var: in the tongue twister of Arechi the “V factor” dominates, while on the pitch it ends with a 2-2 draw that allows Spezia to take another step towards salvation and condemns Salernitana to stay three away points from the penultimate place. The Campania players line up seven new signings from the very rich January market (11 owners all different from the last round of the championship) and in the very strong wind (about the “V factor”) of Salerno, the start of the game is on fire: after just three minutes Ribery wins a free-kick from the edge of the area and Verdi transforms in his own way with a parable that crosses the barrier and leaves no chance for Provedel. The reaction of Spezia, however, is angry and on the development of a corner kick Fazio kicks Erlic in the area. After a long consultation with the Var, the referee Valeri points to the spot: from 11 meters Manaj re-establishes parity in the 11th minute. The rhythms are hellish and Salernitana throws herself forward winning another free kick in the quarter of an hour with Radovanic: Verdi returns to the ball and scores an authentic masterpiece under the intersection that puts Colantuono’s team ahead. Not even time to cheer and a photocopy of what happened in the first 15 minutes is staged: Manaj touches the ball in the area that ends up on Mousset’s arm, it’s still a penalty after another very long consultation with the Var. Lo Spezia changes player from the spot but the result remains the same, with Green leading the score to 2-2 in the 30th minute.
In the second half the music does not change and the start of Salernitana is bubbly: after just 120 seconds Kastanos does not find the ball one meter from the opponent’s goal, wasting a sensational opportunity. Then in the 59th minute Radovanovic tries from distance but Provedel is careful, in the 63rd minute Kastanos still touches the post. La Spezia relies on the speed of Verde, Gyasi and Manaj and the entry of Agudelo: it is Gyasi who goes very close to scoring in the 71st minute on Agudelo’s assist, then Manaj kicks very little over the crossbar on a free kick. In the final, the Salernitana tries the desperate assault and even demands a penalty, but this time Var and Valeri do not intervene and then the match drags on until the triple whistle.
REPORT CARDS
SALERNITANA
Fazio 4,5 – Inexcusable naivety when he gives the first penalty to Spezia, he should give experience to the defense but he is still rusty
Gave 7.5 – Two free-kick goals that are an authentic masterpiece, then race, quality and sacrifice to win over teammates and fans
Ribery 7 – With him the ball is in the safe, sometimes he is not followed by his teammates in the plays, he has won everything in his career but he puts his soul into it as if he were at the beginning
SPICE
Verde 7 – Cold from the spot, like his almost namesake opponent he runs and fights across the board showing great sacrifice
Gyasi 6 – Tireless on the wing, with his speed he is always a thorn in the side in the offensive phase but also helps in defense
Manaj 6,5 – Good at transforming the first penalty, then he procures the second: he is always active and in the most dangerous actions of his own
TABLE
SALERNITANA-SPEZIA 2-2
SALERNITANA (4-3-2-1): Sepe 6, Mazzocchi 6.5 (36 ‘st Gyomber sv), Dragusin 5.5 (20’ st Perotti 6), Fazio 4.5, Ranieri 6, Coulibaly 6.5, Radovanovic 6, Kastanos 5, Verdi 7.5 (20 ‘st Bohinen sv), Ribery 7 (31’ st Mikael sv), Mousset 4.5 (1 ‘st Djuric 6.5). Available: Belec, Gagliolo, Jaroszynski, Kechrida, Lourenco, Obi, Zortea. Att. Colantuono 6
SPICE (4-2-3-1): Provedel 6, Amian 5.5, Erlic 6, Nikolaou 6, Reca 6.5, Kiwior 5.5, Sala 6.5 (23 ‘st Nguiamba sv), Gyasi 6, Maggiore 6, Verde 7 (23 ‘st Agudelo 7), Manaj 6,5 (31’ st Nzola sv). Available: Zoet, Zovko, Antiste, Bertola, Bourabia, Ferrer, Hristov, Salcedo, Strelec. Herds Thiago Motta 6
Referee: Valeri 6.5
Scorers: 3 ‘pt Verdi (SA), 11’ pt Manaj rig. (SP), 16 ‘pt Verdi (SA), 30’ pt Verde rig. (SP),
Ammonites: Mousset, Amian, Fazio, Kiwior, Radovanovic and Nguiamba
THE STATISTICS OF SALERNITANA-SPEZIA
– La Spezia remained unbeaten for four away games in a row for the first time in Serie A (3W, 1N): the Ligurians have avoided defeat in seven of their last eight matches against newly promoted teams (4W, 3N).
– Simone Verdi’s (2’56 ”) was Salernitana’s fastest goal in Serie A since Renzo Merlin’s 1st minute goal on 6 June 1948, again at home against Milan.
– Simone Verdi scored twice from a direct free kick for the second time in Serie A: he had already succeeded in November 2017 against Crotone. Verdi has thus scored three of his last four goals in the top flight.
– The brace scored by Simone Verdi in the first 16 minutes of play is the fastest for a player directly from a free-kick in Serie A since 2004/05.
– Since 2016/17, no player has scored more direct free-kick goals in Serie A than Simone Verdi (seven, like Aleksandar Kolarov and Paulo Dybala).
– Daniele Verde has taken part in at least one goal for four consecutive games for the first time in his career in Serie A (two goals and two assists). Against Salernitana he scored his first goal from a penalty.
– Daniele Verde has taken part in eight goals in Serie A this season (five goals, three assists), his best tally in a single season between the Italian top flight and the Spanish Liga.
– Rey Manaj has scored three of his four career Serie A goals away from home: at Arechi he scored his first penalty in the Italian top flight.
– Salernitana have conceded 55 goals in the first 23 days of this championship, the last team to collect more was Pro Patria in 1955/56 (67). Only two of the 11 teams with at least 55 passive goals at this point in the tournament have avoided relegation (Livorno 1929/30 and Casale 1932/33).
– Salernitana is the only team in this Serie A to have scored more goals from set pieces than from open action (56% – nine out of 16).
– Salernitana are the first team to change 11 starters from their previous squad within a single season since Serie A returned to 20 teams (2004/05).
– La Salernitana is the team that has fielded the most different players this season in the five major European leagues: 41 at least three more than any other team (St Etienne 38).
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