Latina 1-0 Crotone: Pontini kick off with a victory

Date: 6th September 2014 at 10:05pm
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Latina defeated Crotone 1-0 at the Stadio Domenico Francioni on Saturday evening in Serie B.

A solitary goal from Ferdinando Sforzini was enough to give the home side a deserved win, but they probably should have won more comfortably.

The Pontini were playing their first Serie B match since coming agonisingly close to being promoted to Serie A after losing to Cesena 4-2 on aggregate in the play-off finals in June.

The first and best chance of the first half fell the way of the Rossoblu as Raffaele Maiello carried the ball on a counter attack and fed Steve Beleck but the Cameroonian’s strike was thwarted by the feet of Simone Farelli.

Latina were the better team in the first period and they could have took the lead in the 25th minute, as a well worked free-kick found Angelo who crossed into the box and found Alessandro Sbaffo whose header was tipped over the bar by Pavol Bajza.

The two teams were level at the midway point with the game neatly poised as although the club from Lazio were in control of possession, Crotone looked capable of stealing a goal on the break.

The Nerazzurri were cranking up the pressure in the second half and had a great chance to take the lead in the 54th minute as Claiton Dos Santos’ header from defence found Sbaffo who turned past the defender but fired over the bar from ten yards out.

Sbaffo had an even better chance just minutes later when Michele Paolucci’s shot was deflected into his path and he blasted high and wide with the goal gaping.

It was only a matter of time before the home team took the lead and they duly did in the 80th minute through substitute Sforzini who latched onto the loose ball in the box and fired into the top corner.

The Pitagorici were piling on the pressure in the closing moments in hope of finding an equaliser but Latina held out for a merited victory.

View the current Serie B standings here

 

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