PONTEDERA. A very bad show. A team psychologically full of worrying blackouts. Three – but also four or five – steps backwards compared to the performance that earned a draw Livorno. A black Saturday. And one ranking which is now truly scary. It must be said, because this is what the numbers say: with this trend Pontedera has no hope of saving itself directly. The defeat with the Torres – in the afternoon of Saturday 3 Januaryal Mannuccion the first day back of group B Of Serie C – it hurts and makes you think. It ends 3-1 for the Sardinians, who hadn’t won in the championship for more than 130 days. It was supposed to be the turning point match for Pontedera. But at Mannucci it becomes a tragedy. A full-blown horror.
The match
Some new signings mister Simone Banchieri decides to field from the first minute the only one who actually has 90 minutes in his legs: Luca Piana. He places himself at the center of the defense alongside Edoardo Vona. And if the newcomer doesn’t shine, but all in all he doesn’t disappoint either, his teammate puts together a performance – not the first of the season, and not even the second to be honest – which is largely insufficient. Vona’s mess with Torres’ 0-2, after less than a quarter of an hour of the match, is the stuff of the oratory pitch. He kicks the ball at a teammate and scores an incredible own goal. His eagerness to hit the ball was – among other things – completely unjustified, given that he was essentially alone in his own area during the restart phase. Torres’ first goal is a collective sleeper shot from a free kick that Di Stefano scores with an overhead kick, all alone as if he were on the beach at sunset with friends. Too superficial. Zero grit. Pontedera were playing part of the season at Mannucci but entered the field as if it were a picnic. This is the truth. It hurts. To the fans, the team and the coach. But that’s what we saw and that’s what – unfortunately for those who support Pontedera – we have to tell. Faggi’s goal in the 19th minute closes the gap and deceives. Vitali’s crossbar with a deflection following the development of a free kick, just before the 45th minute, suggests a recovery full of fury and competitiveness on the part of Pontedera. But no. In the 52nd minute, Torres scores another pass on Vannucchi on the counterattack. The grenade disappears from the field. A few sterile balls. Enter Dell’Aquila: talent, you can see it, a technical footballer. But it fails to make an impact. A handful of minutes for Yeboah, a phantom debut for him too. Pontedera is now last together with Torres, a share 14 points. One step away from the abyss? No. With a foot and a half inside. Because now it’s really hard for the Granata to hope for anything other than the playouts. And in the next round – theJanuary 11th at 6.30pm – there is the challenge at home of the battleship Arezzo.
The scoreboard
PONTEDERA (4-3-2-1): Vannucchi; Cerretti, Vona (1′ st Pretato), Piana, Perretta (14′ st Migliardi); Faggi, Ladinetti (14 ‘st Dell’Aquila), Scaccabarozzi; Vitali, Ianesi (23′ st Battimelli); Nabian (38’ st Yeboah). Available Biagini, Strada, Giacomelli, Gueye, Manfredonia, Paolieri, Pietrelli, Bassanini, Beghetto, Caponi. Bankers Annex.
TORRES (3-4-1-2): Zaccagno; Fabriani, Antonelli, Mercadante; Zambataro, Giorcico, Brentan (39′ st Zecca); Mastinu (19′ st Masala); Di Stefano (28′ st Bonin), Musso (28′ st Diakite). Available Marano, Biagetti, Nunziatini, Liviero, Lunghi, Dumani. All. Greco
REFEREE: Andrea Bortolussi of Nichelino (Galasso/Fumagallo)
RARE: 8′ pt and 7′ st Di Stefano, 10′ pt Aut Cerretti, 18′ Faggi.
NOTE: Booked: Vitali, Cerretti, Scaccabarozzi. Corners 2’+3′ rec. 3’+7′ Attendance 800.
