Modena rescued Serie B football next season with a 1-1 draw against Virtus Entella at the Stadio Alberto Braglia on Saturday, relegating the Diavolo Neri to life in Lega Pro next season after their maiden voyage in Serie B.
Pablo Granoche kickstarted the hosts when he converted an early spot kick before the Diavolo Neri equalized with an Andrea Mazzarani tally before the stroke of half time.
The match took a dramatic turn when Luca Calapai saw red for a rash challenge gifting Entella a lifeline in the last 20 minutes but the Gialloblu held on and will spend their 12th consecutive campaign in Italy’s second flight next season.
After last week’s sensational comeback to draw 2-2, Modena knew anything but a loss would secure a 16th consecutive season away from the third division, while a desperate Entella side required a road victory to secure only their second ever season in Italy’s second flight next year.
Modena started brightly and put Entella on the back foot by playing an aggressive style denying the visitors any time on the ball. Entella struggled to withstand the challenge and nearly conceded on an early Granoche strike and a right-footed screamer which grazed the crossbar from Andrea Schiavone.
The undeniable breakthrough occurred when Alessandro Ligi brought down Granoche in the area and the Uruguayan scored his 20th of the season.
The visitors were denied a penalty of their own when a Simone Gozzi handball was not punished by the referee and the decision spurred on Entella as they came close to scoring from a set play moments later.
The Biancocelesti found the net when Lorenzo Staiti drove in a cross from the right side and Modena’s Thiago Cionek failed to mark Mazzarani and the 25-year old midfielder nodded in the tying goal. Curiously, the playmaker has starred for the Genoa club while on loan from Modena.
The Gialloblu sought to regain the advantage after half time and coach Mauro Melotti switched to a three-man backline, a decision that nearly paid immediate dividends as another Schiavone strike nearly struck gold but sailed inches over the bar.
The match ratcheted up in intensity when Calapai earned his second booking in 15 minutes and put Modena in a precarious position 20 minutes from the final whistle.
Entella responded in short order with two successive opportunities.
Michele Troiano blasted a shot which was parried away by Modena keeper Carlo Pinsoglio onto the path of Ferdinando Sforzini but the veteran striker missed from close range.
Sforzini then artfully played Stefano Moreo into the area but his shot sailed just over the crossbar and sent the Diavolo Neri back to Genoa in tears as the club will once again return to Lega Pro joining Cittadella, Brescia and Varese.
