Foggia had not won two consecutive matches for over a group. Then there was the blitz at ‘Massimino’ and the subsequent comeback victory with Turris at ‘Zac’. Now the six points in two games come after two direct clashes, with Monopoli and Brindisi. Precisely against this last team, the Rossoneri had tasted the taste of supremacy for one night. From then on, the slow and inexorable collapse began which plunged the Rossoneri into the battle for salvation. The hope is that this time, the victory will herald a positive turning point.
It was decided by one man in particular: Emanuele Santaniello. He did it first by scoring the opening goal, then by inspiring the double. And above all on his goals and his specific offensive weight that Foggia is relying and will rely on to achieve the coveted stay in the third series. A decent performance for Cudini’s team, who perhaps had the demerit of keeping their opponents in the game for too long, despite the difference in values on the pitch being evident right from the start.
Not much for Brindisi, who have never shown more than on this occasion that they deserve last place. Team with few ideas and even less quality, lined up from the start with three central defenders and four full-backs. Not exactly the best for a team in deep water. The timid reaction revealed in the first quarter of an hour of the second half produced very little to advance any regrets.
The Rossoneri’s report cards
FIRST HALF – Continuity to seek continuity. The play on words is intended and necessary, analyzing Cudini’s initial choices. The achievement of the second success in a row – which is exactly one group away – passes through the collective confirmation of the victorious team with Monopoli. The only change (Salines for Silvestro) is determined by the disqualification of the Inter school full-back. Otherwise, who knows. 3-4-2-1, therefore, with Millico and Rolando more inclined to squeeze in the middle to facilitate the descent of the midfield quarters to attack the lanes. On the other hand, Roselli’s moves appear rather conservative. The coach from Brindisi fills the midfield with full-backs, with Pinto and Vona as midfielders, and Galazzini and captain Calderoni as fifths. It is difficult to expect quality in the proposal. In fact, the match tends to be played by Foggia, who won’t produce game plots to show to aspiring coaches during the courses in Coverciano, but at least tries to play football. The match could already take a turn in favor of the Satanels, but Saio is well positioned on Salines’ right foot in the 9th minute, and feline on Santaniello’s gore in the 10th minute. Starters of the goal that will arrive shortly. Because Brindisi not only has zero ideas, but is also unable to read and contain the movements of Santaniello’s two offensive partners. The goal, which came in the quarter of an hour, is emblematic: Millico cuts the midfield horizontally, takes advantage of the space granted to him on the right and creates a perfect cross for the deflection of Santaniello, who beats a slightly less irreproachable Saio . To complicate things at Brindisi there is also the injury of captain Calderoni (on Monti). However, Roselli’s team managed to end the first half with the lowest deficit. A sign of the excessive indulgence of the guests, who were also forced to change the captain, Rizzo, who was blocked by a muscle problem one step away from the double whistle.
SECOND HALF – The need to straighten it out pushes Roselli to play a triple substitution right from the start: Pagliuca, Valenti and Bunino in, Galazzini, Pinto and Trotta out, for a slightly less defeatist line-up. However, the attitude of the home team also changed, raising the center of gravity and the pressure on a Foggia who returned to the field with a rather modest attitude. But it’s a flash in the pan, also because, with the exception of a cross from Vona which Carillo risks converting into an own goal, Perina doesn’t have to make any interventions. However, the change of script makes the match worse and sets the nerves on fire. Millico knows something about it, getting an avoidable yellow card and disappearing from the match for a bit. It is no coincidence that Cudini removes him from the field, also to avoid an “Silvestro encore”. Schenetti comes in, who almost finds a decisive and fortuitous deflection in front of goal following a double intervention by Saio on Santaniello and Vezzoni. Foggia relies on its two currently most decisive players, Odjer in the middle of the pitch and Santaniello up front. They are the references thanks to which Cudini’s team first preserves and then cements the advantage. The 0-2 goal was born from a percussion from the Rossoneri’s 99: Saio rejected as best he could, then had to capitulate on Salines’ thigh tap-in. A goal that came shortly after the arrivals of Papazov, Tonin and Tenkorang (Ercolani, Tascone and Rolando out). The final segment won’t say much else.
Brindisi-Foggia: the scoreboard
BRINDISI (3-5-2) Saio; Merletti, Bonnin, Gorzelewski; Galazzini (1’st Pagliuca), Speranza, Pinto (1’st Valenti), Vona (19’st Opoola), Calderoni (31’pt Monti); Trot (1’st Bunino), Guide. Available: Antonino, Auro, Fiorentino, Vantaggiato, Petrucci, Bellucci, Labriola, Spingola, Zerbo. Coach: Roselli
FOGGIA (3-4-2-1) Perina; Ercolani (27’Papazov), Carillo, Rizzo (42’st Riccardi); Salines, Odjer, Tascone (27’st Tenkorang), Vezzoni; Rolando (27’st Tonin), Millico (16’st Schenetti); Santaniello. Available. De Simone, Nobile, Castaldi, Marino, Antonacci, Manneh, Gagliano, Brancato. Coach: Cudini
Referee: Mastrodomenico from Matera
Assistants: Barberis di Collegno – Taverna di Bergamo
Fourth official: Striamo from Salerno
Scorers: 16’pt Santaniello (F), 31’st Salines (F)
Booked: Gorzelewski (B), Monti (B), Pinto (B), Millico (F), Pagliuca (B), Carillo (F)