This weekend saw Cesena become the latest in a long line of clubs to stake their claim as the most likely to grasp second place from Empoli’s clutches, emerging triumphant in Terni while the Tuscan’s stuttering campaign took another turn for the worse.
Relegated from Serie A in 2012, the club known as the Cavallucci Marini – the ‘Seahorses’ – narrowly avoided the ignominy of back to back relegations during a tough first campaign back in the second tier, but having shown faith in coach Pierpaolo Bisolo, are now reaping the benefits of that patience.
True, this season has not been without its difficulties either. At no point this season have Bisoli’s outfit strung together a sequence of three straight wins, but with the race for second place more open than it has been in years, a run of three wins from four indicates a side hitting their stride at just the right time.
To triumph over Ternana in their own back yard meanwhile is no mean feat. Atillio Tesser’s side came into this weekend’s encounter on an 11 match unbeaten run, without a home defeat since December, and already with the notable scalp of Empoli to their name.
Bisoli’s side took a welcome lead early on though, with Davide Succi appearing to apply the faintest of touches to Guido Marilungo’s deep cross from the right, directing the ball beyond a flailing Alberto Brignoli. Replays proved inconclusive as to whether or not Succi made contact, but there is no doubt that his mere presence was enough to spook the Ternana stopper into flapping wildly at thin air.
The home side were literally handed the chance to draw level on the half hour when Massimo Volta palmed away an Andrea Rispoli header from six-yards out, but a woeful penalty from the usually reliable Mirco Antenucci spared the Cesena defender’s blushes.
Cesena almost doubled the lead soon after when Marilungo struck a fierce effort against the base of the post, and from the rebound Andre Defrel lifted an excellent cross into the path of Succi, whose header from point blank range forced a smart stop from Brignoli.
The second half saw the visitors largely encamped in their own half as Ternana pushed for a leveller. Gianluca Litteri lifted an effort inches over the bar from the edge of the area, while Pavol Farkas headed just wide from an excellent position six yards out.
Substitute Fabio Ceravolo tested the reflexes of Achille Coser with a stinging effort, but just as it looked as though Cesena were hanging on, Manuel Coppola slammed home his side’s second after Brignoli had produced a point blank save to deny Luca Garritano.
There was in truth little to choose between the sides, with Cesena’s comparative composure in front of goal the only real difference. At this stage of the season, that may just prove to be enough.
What Empoli wouldn’t give for a similar assuredness in front of goal right now. Against the backdrop of a terrific atmosphere at Bari’s Stadio San Nicola, the Tuscan side’s misfiring front line once again failed to significantly trouble the opposition keeper.
Three unanswered goals – with Cristian Galano’s overhead kick the pick of the bunch – exposed a side that look short of ideas and who are now in serious danger of dropping out of the top two for the first time this season.
The Palermo juggernaut meanwhile marches on, with second half goals from Edgar Barreto and Francesco Bolzoni securing a hard fought but ultimately deserved win against Avellino. The Rosanero’s lead at the top is now 13 points over Empoli and 14 over Cesena in third, meaning that five wins from the final nine games will be enough to seal an immediate return to the top flight.
Elsewhere, Crotone stay fifth but were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw at relegation threatened Novara, while Latina moved up into sixth with late 1-0 win over Reggina. Trapani’s suffered a second straight narrow defeat, this time 3-2 at Carpi, and face the tough prospect of a Sicilian derby with Palermo this coming weekend.
Siena’s recent resurgence was halted with a surprise defeat at strugglers Cittadella, a result that reignites the prospect of a relegation play-off, while Virtus Lanciano slipped out of the play-off picture with a 3-1 home defeat to Modena.
Finally, Brescia defeated Pescara 3-0, Spezia salvaged a 2-2 drawn in injury time against Padova, and a 4-2 defeat at home to Varese edged Juve Stabia ever closer to a confirmed relegation.
