A heart and pride Cesena beats Mantua 3-2 and returns to third place in the standings, one point behind Frosinone and Monza (the Ciociari will play on Sunday in Pescara). Despite the two goals conceded in the first 25 minutes (a penalty, then a dubious free-kick), the Bianconeri took the lead and closed the gap with Shpendi. In the second half, an unfortunate guest own goal and Frabotta’s goal in the 79th minute earned the three points. Next Saturday Cavalluccio will still be on stage at Manuzzi, the opponent will be Juve Stabia for the last home match of 2025.
END OF GAME | CESENA-MANTUA 3-2
90+5′: Adamo’s crossbar, Bastoni devours the 4-2 goal from close range
90+2′: Mignani sent off for protesting after a foul by Guidi in midfield
90+1′: four minutes still to play, Mignani inserts Guidi and Diao in place of Ciervo and Blesa
88′: Mantua pole. Falletti concludes from outside, Francesconi deflects the ball which hits the outside woodwork to Klinsmann’s left
81′: Bastoni and Amoran come on in place of Berti and Zaro, Mignani had prepared these changes even before the 3-2 goal
79′: CESENA GOAL. Manuzzi explodes! Corner by Ciervo, ball to Frabotta who throws it in and is booked after the celebration
76′: Cesena pushes, Adamo and Frabotta’s conclusions are deflected for a corner
73′: Zaro booked for a tactical foul on Bonfanti
69′: Mantua dangerous at the restart. Artioli flies towards Klinsmann and tries a right-footed shot, the Juventus goalkeeper rejects by stretching to his left
65′: Cesena still close to the third goal. Adamo crosses from the left, Ciervo’s header misses the target
64′: Mignani inserts Adamo, who scored in Padua, in place of Castegnetti
63′: header by Shpendi following a cross by Frabotta, high ball
54′: CESENA DRAW. Cross shot from Blesa, Castellini deflects into his goal, ‘betraying’ Festa
53′: Shpendi shoots into the area from the left, Festa blocks with his feet
46′: we start again, no changes at half-time
END OF THE FIRST HALF | CESENA-MANTUA 1-2
45+1′: three minutes of added time
44′: totally changes the inertia of the game. Blesa goes to the back and puts it in the middle for Francesconi, the 2004 class player’s right-footed shot is saved by the goalkeeper in two halves
42′: CESENA GOAL. Shpendi, after an insistent action and a miracle of celebration on Berti, scores the well-deserved goal for the Bianconeri
39′: Frabotta turns in the area and shoots with his right foot: the ball goes out by a whisker
26′: shock start for Cesena, now called upon to recover a match against an opponent who continues to go double even after the second goal
25′: DOUBLE OF MANTOVA. Free kick from Artioli from a central position, right-footed shot that cools a Klinsmann who is not without his faults
22′: Blesa scores the equalizer but is offside: goal disallowed
21′: first opportunity for Cesena. Francesconi shoots from the edge, Festa blocks. Ball to Blesa who kicks at the goalkeeper, ball blocked on the ground
17′: GOAL FROM MANTOVA. Rapuano goes to VAR and awards a penalty for a handball by Ciofi. From the spot Ruocco displaces Klinsmann with a soft right foot
12′: long-range left foot from Bani, powerful but central: no problem for Klinsmann
6′: first opportunity for Mantova, pass into the area for Ruocco who heads it high
5′: Cesena waits in their own half for guests who try to push
1′: we begin, Mantova moves the first ball of the match
After the draw in Padua, Cesena hosts Mantua in the first of two home matches within a week: next Saturday, Juve Stabia will arrive at the Manuzzi. The results achieved on other fields have seen Mignani’s men slip to sixth place, but in the event of a victory against the Lombards (third to last in the standings) the Bianconeri would return to third position, one point behind Monza and Frosinone. The Brianza team were defeated in Venice, while the Ciociari team will take to the field on Sunday against bottom side Pescara. Berti and Blesa return to the hosts from the first minute. There are 534 Mantova fans in the away sector, the two fans are linked by a historic twinning: “A timeless bond in a football that is rotting” can be read on the banner displayed in Curva Ferrovia before the match. La Mare reciprocates with a “Cesena and Mantua… free to cheer”.
Cesena (3-5-2): Klinsmann; Ciofi, Zaro, Mangraviti; Ciervo, Francesconi, Castagnetti, Berti, Frabotta; Blesa, Shpendi. All. Mignani. Available Siano, Amoran, Guidi, Piacentini, Celia, Adamo, Magni, Bastoni, Bisoli, Arrigoni, Diao, Olivieri.
Mantua (4-3-3): Party; Maggioni, Cella, Castellini, Bani; Paoletti, Artioli, Trimboli; Marras, Mensah, Ruocco. All. Possanzini. Available Andrenacci, Mullen, Mancuso, Wieser, Fiori, Galuppini, Faletti, Fedel, Caprini, Bragantini, Pittino, Bonfanti.
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