Italian Cup: Cremonese-Modena 4-2 after extra time

From our correspondent Matteo Pierelli

October 20
– CREMONA

She suffers more than expected, but in the end the Cremonese manages to grab the second round of the Italian Cup and to give herself the challenge in Naples in January. Massimiliano Alvini’s team had to work hard to qualify, wasting incredibly precious energies in view of the championship: until the 88th minute they were up 2-0 after goals from Okereke and Felix. But the excellent Modena of the former Tesser is a tenacious team, he never gave up and with a brace from Diaw led the grigiorossi to extra time. Where a great brace from Sernicola decided: at 6 ‘of the second half of the overtime, when the spectrum of penalties was real, and then at the last action of the match. In any case, the Cremonese from tonight can focus on Monday’s postponement against Sampdoria, a crucial point of the season.

Modena in 10

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Cremonese and Modena played openly, even with the teams full of reserves. The hosts started a bit sly but in the quarter of an hour they went very close to the advantage thanks to Buonaiuto who from the edge took the pole to the left of Seculin. The escaped danger gave Modena vitality but wasted a great opportunity with Bonfanti who, freed from a mistake by Vasquez, ate such a big goal in front of Sarr. Shortly after the episode that conditioned the match of the Emilians: the expulsion for a double yellow card of Magnino. It was 22 ‘and since then the road for Tesser’s team has been all uphill, even if the Emilians were in the game until the end and perhaps they deserved something more.

Thrilling ending

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Despite the inferiority, even at the beginning of the second half Modena was the most proactive team. The entry of Diaw gave great vitality to Tesser’s men, while the Cremonese continued to grind the game, but without finding outlets in the opposing defense, able to close the gates well with the central couple De Maio-Piacentini and also to become dangerous on the counterattack, like that of Marsura who almost mocked Sarr. Then came Okerere’s header from Buonaiuto’s cross in the 32nd minute of the second half and then, five minutes from the end, Felix doubled with an empty net after the usual Buonaiuto cross from a free kick. At that point the game seemed over but Modena had the strength to hang up with Cremonese. First with a penalty by Diaw who had suffered a foul by Hendry and then again with the Friulian striker who took advantage of a mistake by Hendry himself. In extra time there were several reversals in front of Sernicola before the diagonal, followed by another pearl of the full-back (left to return) who closed the match.