After newly promoted Perugia kicked off the Serie B season with a 2-1 win over Bologna on Friday night, it was time for the majority of the league’s contingent to kick-start their campaign.
With the league only reverting to 22 teams yesterday as Vicenza was elected to join Serie B, their match against last season’s surprise package Latina was postponed to a later date.
It was an important day in the history of Virtus Entella as they made their first ever appearance in Italy’s second flight, but it wasn’t the fairytale start they had hoped for.
The Diavoli Neri fell to a 2-0 home defeat to Bari thanks to goals from Francesco Caputo and Cristian Galano.
The first half was full of half chances but neither team were able to unlock the other’s defence with the best chances falling to the home side.
First, Francesco Di Tacchio raced through the heart of the Bari defence and fired a shot at goal but it was straight down the throat of Antonio Donnarumma.
Then Marco Sansovini thought he had given Entella the lead when he latched on to a looping ball and volleyed high into the net but he was flagged for offside.
At the other end Marino Defendi went on a mazy run and dinked the ball into the box but Caputo headed over the bar.
The second half started in very much the same fashion with the best effort coming on the hour mark from Michele Troiano. The Entella midfielder with a fierce strike from 25 yards heading for the top corner forcing a terrific save from Donnarumma.
Just five minutes later the away side took the lead. Marco Calderoni went on a strong run on the left wing and laid it to Caputo who finished with aplomb from ten yards out, guiding the ball into the corner.
The Galletti doubled their lead just before the whistle as Galano netted to give Bari the three points and a great start to the season.
Elsewhere there was a thriller at the Stadio Angelo Massimino as Catania drew 3-3 with Virtus Lanciano. The Elefanti took the lead through journeyman Emanuele Calaio in the first half but then fell 2-1 behind thanks to two penalties from Marco Pinato and Leonardo Gatto.
Catania then equalised through Raphael Martinho and then took the lead courtesy of a penalty of their own converted by Alessandro Rosina. Alberto Cerri scored a dramatic equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time to earn Lanciano a point. There were also red cards at the death for both sides as Calaio and Paolo Grossi were dismissed.
Catania’s fellow relegated side Livorno also failed to register a win at home to Carpi as Jerry Mbakogu cancelled out a Livorno opener scored by Andrey Galabinov.
Serie B newcomers Frosinone secured a 1-0 win against Brescia thanks to a strike from Daniel Ciofani whilst ten man Pro-Vercelli suffered an agonising 1-0 defeat to Avellino where a last minute effort from Luigi Castaldo secured the three points for the home side.
In other matches Ternana pulled off an impressive 2-0 away win against Crotone courtesy of Nicolas Viola and Felipe Avenatti and Varese narrowly defeated Spezia 2-1 with a goal from Daniele Corti and a penalty winner from Luigi Falcone after Andrea Catellani levelled for the away side.
There was only one stalemate as Pescara and Trapani played out a 0-0 draw.
There was plenty of goals in the opening weekend of Serie B setting a good standard for the rest of the season. After the opening games Bari and Ternana are level on top spot.
