Semi-final of the Serie D playoffs which is played at the stadium municipal of Piancastagnaio, a truly functional facility with a synthetic pitch, a grandstand and a bleacher both very large and comfortable, almost a waste for the D series given that even in the higher category stadiums like this you don’t see many.
Pianese finished the regular season in second place in the standings, behind the battleship Arezzo, while Livorno caught the playoff train in the last dive so if the standings counted for anything, the hosts would have to make a single bite of the guests while if we went to consider history, pedigree, tradition and following of fans, amaranths would have an easy life.
Visiting fans arrive in Piancastagnaio on private vehicles, a comfortable journey given the non-sidereal distance, also excellent for taking a trip out of town as we find ourselves in the Monte Amiata area, a location that attracts a good number of tourists, many of them also foreigners, who they are looking for a nice contact with nature and the tranquility that only mountain areas can offer. And in fact, even in the vicinity of the stadium there is no excess, the forces of order patrol the area without escalating tempers, sobriety is perceived even in anticipation of an event that can decide the fate of this or that team.
Home crowd that sees the presence of a large number of fans, applause as the teams enter the field, rather measured exultation for goals and finally the slightly more euphoric one at the end of the match, for the rest there is little or nothing to mention . Who enlivens the afternoon is the visiting crowd who have the great advantage of not giving up despite already in the first half the game is almost closed with the hosts two goals ahead. The Livorno cheer starts well and throughout the match continues in the wake of continuity, the chants are resumed by most of those present and the result on the field does not discourage the ultras who continue undaunted to make themselves heard by the team. In terms of colour, we should mention the flags that are waved on the sidelines of the main group and a banner that targets Stefano Bandecchi, from Livorno, president of Ternana Calcio and candidate for mayor in the city of Terni who, on the sidelines of a public event, denigrated the hometown as ugly and without beautiful places. Open heavens, from the mayor of Livorno up to some public figure in the city, the answer was not long in coming and even the Curva Nord, which among other things stands on very different political positions from Bandecchi, wanted to put pen to paper his thoughts in a nice way, in pure Livorno spirit.
In the stands there is not a moment of silence but despite continuous support, the amaranth team has to abdicate in front of a technically superior Pianese, the amaranth playoffs end here while the hosts continue their journey. At the end of the match opposing moods, the guests boo the team while the locals celebrate the shift.
Valerio Poli
