“Pisa’s Shameful Collapse Against Spal: A Defeated Playoff Dream”

Indefensible, unspeakable, certainly not professional. There’s nothing more to say about the shameful and pitiful drift into which the Nerazzurri have plunged in recent weeks. An inexplicable collapse for which no one has been able to give a valid explanation. Spal, already in Serie C since last week, proves to have more grit in a match played without any desire by D’Angelo’s team. Pisa has had far too many opportunities to make it to these playoffs and has always failed, even when the opponents had offered a flank on more than one occasion. And there are no alibis that hold up, there are no excuses for losing against a team that has already been relegated in this way. And to think that the results from the other fields would have allowed, with a victory, to go to the playoffs with seventh place. There would have been much more dignity to go to the play-offs and be eliminated in the preliminary round, but tonight’s shame is truly indefensible. The news of the match goes completely into the background and this time the protest is very strong and very justified by the organized supporters. In the coming days with a cool head, this intricate season will be analyzed on the pages of Sestaporta.

For Pisa it is the last chance to reach the playoffs, but it will be necessary to win. The Nerazzurri have only one useful result, victory. D’Angelo’s team will then have to hope for the results of Parma-Venice, Palermo-Brescia and Reggina-Ascoli whose crossings, if favourable, will allow them to enter seventh or eighth place. However, D’Angelo had to give up the usual injured Touré and Esteves, but also the disqualified Masucci, Morutan and Marin. The opponents, Mr. Oddo’s Spal, have already been relegated in the previous round. According to statistics, in the last 6 years the 10 teams already relegated in the last round have never won in the last day and Pisa, according to data from the statistician Luca Barboni of Cascina Notizie, have an 81% chance of going to the playoffs if they win today against Spal. To achieve this result, the Nerazzurri coach lined up Nicolas between the posts, a defense made up of Calabresi, Caracciolo, Barba and Beruatto, a midfield made up of Nagy, Gargiulo and Mastinu and an offensive trident made up of Sibilli, Torregrossa and Tramoni. The Curva Nord, who gathered the whole city to watch the match, also sent a clear message to the players: “You were a contestant at the beginning of the year, but the curve continued to cheer. Then you started playing and someone started dreaming. In the last month you have shown mercy to those who don’t fight away from this city. We are always ready for battle… you honor the shirt on the pitch”. After all these premises, however, the bitter reality is another. The nerazzurri collapse again against a team that had nothing more to say to this championship. In fact, in the first half it was Celia who scored the opening goal at the end. The second half, on the other hand, sees Pisa definitively disappear from the field also thanks to a penalty awarded to Spal and converted by Moncini. And to think that the results from the other fields would have allowed us, with a victory, to go to the playoffs. At the end of the race, the dispute starts. There would have been much more dignity to go to the play-offs and be eliminated in the preliminary round, but tonight’s shame is really not edifying.

FIRST HALF – First chance for the Nerazzurri in the 5th minute with Torregrossa who, following the development of a corner, gets another one after a deflection by a defender. Still the number ten, on the following corner he is anticipated by a whisker by Pomini. In the 10th minute it was Mastinu who improvised a shot from distance which was neutralized by the opposing goalkeeper after a deflection by a defender. In the 20th minute Pisa with Tramoni who, served by a precise cross from Calabresi, heads in and is neutralized in a dive by the usual Pomini. In the 38th minute it was Spal who had the most tempting chance of the entire first half: Maistro from the flag fishing Rabbi who headed the crossbar. A minute later, Tunjov free-kicked it high over the crossbar. In the 43rd minute Celia scores the opening goal with a precise diagonal that goes behind Nicolas. Frost and boos at the Arena, the first half ends like this.

SECOND HALF – The second half begins with a penalty awarded by the var to Spal for a handball by Calabresi in the penalty area. Moncini takes charge from the spot and scores the 2-0 goal. D’Angelo tries to change something, inserting De Vitis and Zuelli as well as Gliozzi, but the situation is desperate and three goals are needed to reverse the situation and go to the playoffs, now a mirage. In the 62nd minute Maistro tries, but his shot goes wide. Shortly afterwards Gliozzi scores, but is stopped offside by the linesman who disallows the goal. In the 66th minute Beruatto volleys, but Pomini rejects. In the 69th minute, after Moreo came on for Torregrossa, Tramoni scored the 1-2 goal which rekindled hope. In the 72nd minute Calabresi shoots it high over the crossbar. Moncini responds with a shot from distance that ends just wide. The smallest of the Tramonis tries in the 80th minute, but his right-footed shot goes for a corner. Shortly after Nicolas deflects a precise shot from Zanellato for a corner.

PISA-SPAL 1-2 TABLE
PISA (4-3-1-2): Nicholas; Calabresi (73′ L. Tramoni), Caracciolo, Barba, Beruatto; Nagy (59′ De Vitis), Gargiulo (46′ Gliozzi), Mastinu (59′ Zuelli); Whistles; Tramoni M., Torregrossa (68′ Moreo). Available Guadagno, Livieri, Hermannsson, Zuelli, Moreo, Coppola, Trdan, Rus. All. Luca D’Angelo
SPAL (5-3-2): Pomini; Cornflower (12′ Dickmann); Dalle Mura, Meccariello, Varnier (73′ Arena), Celia (73′ Fetfatzidis); Maistro, Murgia, Tunjov (58′ Zanellato); Rabbi (58′ Rauti), Moncini. Available Alfonso, Brazao, Fetfatzidis, Arena, La Mantia, Peda. Herd Massimo Oddo.
REFEREE: Giacomo Camplone of Pescara
RARELY: 43′ Celia, 51′ Moncini (reg.), 69′ M. Tramoni
ADMONITES: Mastiff, Caracciolo, Zanellato
NOTE: Recovery 1’pt, 5′ st

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