Verona secures Serie A survival with 3-1 win over Spezia in play-off

After 24 days spent chasing each other and a championship finale full of emotions, Verona completed the work by avoiding relegation in the play-off with Spezia. In Reggio Emilia he won 3-1 and sent the Ligurians to Serie B after 3 years. Semplici’s team paid dearly for a poorly interpreted first half and, in the second half, the penalty missed by Nzola who, in 11 against 10 with 20′ to go, could have written another epilogue to the match. Verona won thanks to a better approach, greater courage and the evening of grace from Ngonge and Montipò who made the difference with their prowess.

<>

Ampadu replies to Faraoni at the start

Contrary to expectations, the start is pyrotechnic. After just 5′ Verona passes: Lazovic goes off to the left for Wisniewski and hits for Faraoni who with a precise diagonal right-footed shot overtakes Dragowski despite Ampadu’s desperate save attempt on the line. Spezia accuses the blow and the Gialloblù even come close to doubling with two headers, by Faraoni himself and Dawidowicz. Little by little, Spezia revived and, after grazing the target with a shot from Reca, equalized (15′): assists from behind by Shomurodov for Ampadu who with a great right from outside slips the ball under the cross right of Montipò.

Double from Ngonge, Verona flies up 3-1

Verona didn’t give up and already in the 25th minute they went back: perfect triangulation on the Ngonge-Djuric-Ngonge limit, closed by the Belgian with a precise diagonal inside. Ngonge exalts himself and in the 38th minute drops the trio on the counterattack, albeit with a pinch of luck: his left foot at the near post is deflected by Ampadu just enough to deceive Dragowski.

Faraoni expelled, Nzola misses the penalty of 2-3

In the second half, Spezia tries to close ranks but Montipò denies the 2-3 to Zurkowski, intervention with a nice volley on a cross from Shomurodov. Semplici changes by launching the 4-3-3 with the insertion of an attacking midfielder, Verde, in place of Wisniewski and the results prove him right: in the 68th minute Shomurov, launched from a throw-in, overtook Montipò on the way out with a lob but was anticipated earlier of the winning tap-in from Faraoni who intercepts the ball with one hand. The red light on the yellow-blue side was inevitable and the penalty which, however, Nzola let Montiò intuit, thus missing the first career spot kick on the 11th attempt.

Super Montipò and Ampadu cross: Spezia surrenders

However, Spezia tries everything but on his way he finds a wild Montipò who in the final 5 times opposes Shomurodov, Bourabia, Ampadu, Verdi and Nzola as champion. The last hopes for Semplici’s men were extinguished in the 92nd minute when Ampadu chipped the crossbar with a shot from outside. The perfect snapshot, for the Spezia, of a vintage to forget. It’s time for Verona to celebrate: they will play in Serie A for the fifth year in a row.

SPEZIA-VERONA 1-3 (1-3)
Spice (3-5-2): Dragowski; Wisniewski (8′ st Green), Ampadu, Nikolaou; Ferrer (39′ st Agudelo), Bourabia, Esposito (39′ st Cipot), Zurkowski (20′ st Kovalenko), Reca; Shomurodov, I am. References: Zoet, Marchetti, Zovko, Ekdal, Krollis. Alternator: Simplicity.
VERONA (3-4-2-1): Montipò; Magnani (39′ Coppola), Hien, Dawidowicz (14′ st Cabal); Pharaohs, Tameze, Sulemana, Depaoli; Lazovic (14′ st Verdi) Ngonge (31′ st Terracciano); Djuric (31′ st Gaich). On the bench: Berardi, Perilli, Doig, Veloso, Hrustic, Ceccherini, Lasagna, Braaf, Abildgaard, Kallon. Coach: Zaffaroni.
Referee: Bear of Schio.
Rarely: 5′ pt Pharaoh, 15′ pt Ampadu, 26′ e 38′ pt Ngonge.
Expelled: at 23’st Faraoni for voluntary handball in the area.
Ammonite yourself: Reca, Shomurodov, Esposito, Hien, Depaoli, Montipò, Ngonge.
Corners: 9-5.
Recovery: 3′; 6′.
Note: Penalty kick missed by Nzolà in the 26th minute.