CATANIA – Catania isn’t doing well! Even in Latina yet another narrow defeat (1-0) was achieved thanks to an isolated ballistic feat by the opponents who, over the course of 90 minutes, rarely hit the Rossazzurri’s goal. Only in the final, with the Rossazzurri unbalanced forward, the Pontine team came close to doubling their lead… avoided by the talented Albertoni. Riccardi’s strike was decisive as, at the start of the second half, he sent a ball previously hit by a teammate into the top corner.
The team coached by Lucarelli, in whose ranks we see a willing Marsura again and with Kontek deployed in midfield, he starts with a proactive attitude and after a few moments manages to score but, in the opinion of the referees, Costantino is offside at the moment of the winning header. Then Rapisarda was forced to leave early due to injury, replaced by Bouah, while Cicerelli tried from a decentralized position with Guadagno who was not surprised. Bouah fails to deflect the long cross from the same red and blue number 30 and Latina is also forced to make the first “substitution” due to the injury suffered by Fabrizi replaced by Fella. At the end of the first half of the game, Catania came close to taking the lead but Guadagno surpassed himself by diving away the usual Cicerelli’s curling shot. Then Castellini flies to the right but none of his teammates are ready for the decisive deflection.
In the second half, the pace of the match remains slow but, suddenly, comes the flash that decides the match when the Lazio defender Riccardi can’t believe his eyes after launching a shot from low up which ends its run into the top corner. Catania’s reaction is anything but vehement and not even the substitutions made by coach Lucarelli and the change of the tactical module to an offensive 4-2-4 produce the desired effects. The rossozzurri were unable to take advantage of even an unsuccessful exit from Guadagno and in the final they even risked suffering an incredible double which did not materialize due to the incorrect aim of Perseu and Fella. Catania suffers another disastrous defeat which further causes the rossozzurri to plummet in the standings. Now it will be a good idea to look over our shoulders in the rankings… rather than further cultivating useless ambitions of a hypothetical, very complicated ascent!
Scoreboard
Stadio “Domenico Francioni” – by Latina/Wednesday 14 February 2024 – 6.30 pm
7th matchday of the first leg/Serie C group C – 2023-2024
LATINA – CATANIA 1 – 0
LATINA (3-4-2-1) – Guadagno, Ercolano, Rocchi, De Santis, Paganini (k), Vona E., Mazzocco (from 36th St Capanni)D’Orazio (dal 36°s.t. Crecco)Of sun (from 19°st Perseus)Fabrizi (dal 26°s.t. Fella)Riccardi.
Available: Fasolino, Vona M., Sorrentino, Rozzi, De Maio, Scavaglieri, Polletta, Di Renzo.
Trainer: Gaetano Fontana.
CATANIA F.C. (4-2-3-1) – Albertoni, Rapisarda (k) (dal 14°p.t. Bouah)Curado, Castellini (dal 19°s.t. Chiricò)Celli, Kontek, Welbeck, Cicerelli (from 19th st By Carmine)Tello (dal 34°s.t. Monaco)Marsura (from 19th Chiarella)Constantine.
Available: Furlan, Donato, Haveri, Ndoj, Quaini.
Trainer: Cristiano Lucarelli.
Referee: Valerio Piece of bread from L’Aquila.
Assistants: Simone Learnr Rainier (Milan) and Pierpaolo Carella (L’Aquila).
Fourth official: Simone Palmieri (Avellino).
Rarely: 7th point Riccardi (LT).
Unavailable: Bethers, Silvestri, Rizzo, Peralta, Cianci, Zammarini (CT); Cardinali, Mastroianni, Biagi, Di Livio, Cittadino (LT).
Disqualified:Sturaro (CT).
Ammonites: Welbeck (CT); Tello (CT); Monaco (CT); Vona (LT).
note:at least 150 Rossazzurri supporters were present in the stands
News
First half (0-0)
1st Catania scored immediately but the referee annulled Costantino’s winning header for alleged offside;
14th in Catania, the injured Rapisarda is forced to make way for Bouah; captain’s armband on Castellini’s arm;
17th high conclusion by D’Orazio;
18th conclusion by Cicerelli from a decentralized position: saves Guadagno in two stages;
25th on Cicerelli’s long cross… Bouah doesn’t arrive in time for the winning deflection;
26th in Latina, the injured Fabrizi is forced to give way to Fella;
30th Latina close to scoring: Albertoni misses and header by Paganini who narrowly misses the target!
31st on Bouah’s cross… header from Marsura who sends the ball just wide;
41st progression by Bouah and great curling shot by Cicerelli which Guadagno deflects with a dive: corner;
44th ingenious incursion on the right by Castellini but none of his teammates manages to take advantage of his low cross;
45° granted 3 minutes of recovery;
47° Fella tries from afar: the ball ends up wide;
48th the first half ends goalless.
Second half (1-0)
1st Celli loses the ball and Welbeck is forced to yank Del Sole: free kick from the edge and a yellow card! D’Orazio’s free kick crashes into the Etna barrier;
5th Catania protests for an alleged touch with the arm of De Santis in the middle of the Lazio area: the referee lets it continue;
7th Latin ahead: on a ball kicked by Mazzocco… Riccardi draws the joker by sending the ball to the top corner: 1-0 !
9th Costantino misses an inviting ball in the middle of the opponent’s area;
18th Welbeck saves on Del Sole… ready to send D’Orazio’s cross towards goal;
19th in the Latina, Perseo takes over Del Sole;
19th in Catania, Cicerelli, Castellini and Marsura give way to Di Carmine, Chiricò and Chiarella; Catania’s formation 4-2-4;
34th in Catania, Monaco takes over from Tello;
35th unsuccessful exit by Guadagno but no one takes advantage of it;
36th in Latina, Mazzocco and D’Orazio give way to Capanni and Crecco;
38th great save by Guadagno on Di Carmine who, however, was off-side;
41st from Ercolano’s cross… Perseu shoots sky high from the center of the area!
42° Albertoni avoids Lazio’s doubling on Fella’s sure shot conclusion!
45° granted 4 minutes of recovery;
49th Catania loses once again!