Serie C, Padova-Palermo 0-1, playoff final leg. Floriano decides it

The first act of the playoff final goes to Palermo: Floriano’s goal after 10 ‘gives the rosanero an advantage (1-0) to defend next Sunday in the packed arena of Renzo Barbera. In front of the more than 13 thousand of the Euganeo – many from Palermo, with twinned supporters – Padova stumbles into a challenge full of emotions, in which the goals could have been many more and the draw would not have been unfounded. In the event of an overall tie after 180 ‘(away goals are not worth double), extra time and any penalties.

FIRST HALF

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Oddo insists with the three-man defense – tailored suit for these playoffs -, chooses Saber instead of Dezi in the middle of the field and leaves Ceravolo on the bench again. Baldini, who has fewer doubts, confirms Damiani in the midfield duo with Dall’Oglio on the bench. The first emotion comes from a free kick by Ronaldo who finds Massolo attentive, but the balance is broken after just 10 minutes: a punishment that Palermo beats vertically, Curcio and Gasbarro mess around in closing on Valente who wins the rebound and serves Floriano skilful to appear in the small area behind Ajeti and Valentini. Abundant concurrence of faults, with Curcio being the main defendant: Floriano thus reaches four goals in these playoffs, all away. The match lights up. Ronaldo’s first reaction, but Palermo goes close to doubling on Giron’s ride to the left that triggers Brunori’s touch out just a little. On the overturning in front, Padova goes into goal with Bifulco but the goal is canceled due to a return offside (the Var confirms the decision of the second assistant). At half an hour, Palermo risks an imprecise exit from Massolo, Chiricò hits an empty net and finds the rescue on Marconi’s line: Var in action here too with a long silent check – there are no sensors that sound but, as in Serie B, a camera aimed at the goal line – and the goal is not granted as per the decision of the referees on the field. At 35 ‘the protests move to Antonio Donnarumma’s area: Brunori (who shortly before had engaged the Padova goalkeeper) claims for a suspicious touch of Ajeti’s hand on a ball that rains from the trocar, but Gualtieri lets play. The last flash is produced by Padova, with Santini heading close to a draw.

SECOND HALF

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After the interval Baldini changes: outside Floriano and inside Soleri, who in Palermo is on loan from Padua himself (with the right of redemption in favor of the rosanero). The rhythms remain the same, very high, of the first 45 ‘. Chiricò tries to put his on his shoulders and sprint with constancy, going close to scoring with his right foot which is his weak foot. Halfway through the second half, Palermo dangerous from a lineout in the attacking zone: searched in the area, Luperini goes near the goal in half overturned. With the series changes, the game breaks up and the intensity decreases. Padova is not there and proves it with a double chance that happened to the newly entered Jelenic, with Massolo saying no to him on the second attempt. When it seems over, the last emotion gives it a header from Brunori just outside. Applause for both, with the hope of seeing another show of this quality in seven days. Padova – already a finalist a year ago, beaten on penalties by Alexandria – will now in any case have to win in Palermo to guarantee at least extra time. And it would be a challenge, given that Barbera has been clean since March 2021 and Silvio Baldini’s team hasn’t lost in 16 games this season.