Bologna grabbed themselves a place in next season’s Serie A after they drew 1-1 with Pescara at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Tuesday night.
Gianluca Sansone put Bologna in front in the first half but early in the second half Cristian Pasquato equalised for the Delfini. Although scores were level on aggregate, Bologna won because of the superior finish in the table.
The game struggled to get going until the 17th minute when Federico Melchiorri shot from an angle which clipped the bar and went over.
Then, at the other end Sansone ran down the right wing before coming inside and curling an effort towards the opposite corner but was denied by Vincenzo Fiorillo.
The Delfini had another chance to take the lead as Matteo Politano cut inside and fired at goal but it was straight down the throat of Angelo Da Costa in the Bologna goal.
The hosts came closest to a goal as Marios Oikonomou leaped highest from a corner and powered a header but sent it narrowly over the bar.
Minutes later the Rossoblu did take the lead and it was through Sansone. Robert Acquafresca’s pass was intercepted by a Pescara defender and the forward reacted quickest to smash the ball into the roof of the net and send the stadium into raptures.
Ten minutes into the second half, Bologna nearly doubled their lead. Sansone jinked his way past a Pescara defender but one-on-one with the keeper was thwarted by Fiorillo.
Then, straight down the other end Pescara levelled proceedings. Melchiorri won a header and Pasquato chested down before volleying across goal into the bottom corner.
The visitors nearly turned the game on its head minutes later. After the ball fell loose, Marco Sansovini tried his luck, on the turn but his curling strike whistled past the post.
It got even worse for the home side soon after when Ibrahim Mbaye was dismissed for a second yellow card for a high foot.
In the 78th minute, the Delfini almost took the lead as Raffaele Pucino tried his luck from around 35 yards but it was palmed wide by Da Costa.
The visitors had an even better chance to take the lead with five minutes on the clock. A ball was drifted to the back post to Flavio Lazzari, but unmarked, the forward’s header lacked power and was easily saved by Da Costa.
They were inches away from grabbing a winner at the death when Bartosz Salamon won a header from a corner but it went over the bar. Then in injury time, Melchiorri headed at the back post but could only hit the bar.
Despite a late peppering of the Bologna goal, Pescara could not find a winner so Bologna gained promotion back to Serie A.
