Seria A. Lecce-Fiorentina 1-1, Ceesay and Kouame

From our correspondent Francesco Velluzzi

October 17
– LECCE

Fiorentina’s travel sickness continues. It is not defeated, it is a draw (1-1) at Via del Mare against a Lecce who spends a lot in the first half in which he takes the lead with Ceesay for the first time in this championship, but runs out of gas in the second in which he trudges and suffers immediately Koaume’s header and goes apnea against a Viola who, however, in the first part, was unrecognizable as in most of the times in this tournament. The equal, the fourth in a row at home where Baroni’s team has never won, in the end it is better for Lecce which has only one mission: to save itself. He is close to the Viola, never victorious away from home, who, after the brilliant eighth place last season, would have very different goals. Certainly not the ten points obtained in these first ten days. It begins in music with a street band placed in the stands, all dressed in orange. It continues with an exhilarating, exciting, touching moment. Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani gives a plaque to Fefé De Giorgi, Italian volleyball world champion coach. A commemorative plaque and a yellow and red jersey with the number 4, the one he wore as a player and which also symbolizes the four world championships won between the field (three) and the bench (one).

Play

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After the holidays we play. Both with 4-3-3. Marco Baroni confirms Umtiti in defense, in the center, but brings Pongracic back inside who supports him and moves Baschirotto outside in the four-man department. It means that Valentin Gendrey goes on the bench, who until now had not missed a single minute. Vincenzo Italiano’s choices are what was expected apart from Milenkovic who is out. In the center with Igor is Martinez Quarta in disguise. The offensive trident is made up of Nico Gonzalez, Jovic and Kouamé. In the middle Bonaventura, Mandragora and Barak, applauded by the Salento fans before the start. On balance, in the first part, the former Czech is the only one who really bangs with profit. Jovic would like to do it but after 6 minutes he is forced to leave for a stretch, giving way to Cabral. Lecce pushes in speed and Kouame has to go to the center for a recovery that is worth gold. Then Mandragora is produced in the only conclusion that calls into question Falcone good at rejecting, not so much in the outputs on which he does not intend with the power plants. Fiorentina dribbles without a construct, it seems a team without bite, with few ideas, Nico Gonzalez does not escape Gallo once … and Lecce is ready to recover the ball by biting with Blin, Askildsen and a ferocious Gonzalez. A good pressure is enough to trigger Strefezza that fires, sends Mandragora and Kouame a yellow card and dispenses football even with the game changes for Banda who at 23 ‘brush for Ceesay who crushes out. Lecce plays better but as always does not finish at best. At 38 ‘he would go under for the ninth time on a wrong exit from Falcone which allows Cabral to correct the goal with an empty net. Via del Mare rejoices as if it were a goal. But at 43 ‘the story turns upside down and Baroni’s team goes ahead for the first time at home. Joan Gonzalez, still him, much better than Nico … he wins by force a duel with Biraghi and then with Dodo he puts in the center and this time Ceesay anticipates Igor and blows up the stadium.

Second half

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It is imagined that the outburst of Italian in the locker room was intense because the Viola immediately starts strong again. And Cabral’s stroke for Kouame who jumps well above Baschirotto is worth the draw after 3 ‘. The reaction of Lecce is there immediately but on the nice cross of the usual Strefezza Ceesay still arrives with his head but sends out. From that moment it was Fiorentina who took the game more in hand. Italian is the first (at 14 ‘) to resort to the bench. Inside Duncan for a sufficient Mandragora and Milenkovic for a subdued Igor. Baroni changes Askildsen to Bistrovic in the 24th minute because there is a need for fresh forces in Lecce who have lost a bit of rhythm. In fact it is the Viola who keep the hosts in the red jersey in constant apprehension as in Naples. And Falcone must return to being a superhero by deviating as a champion on Quarta and Nico Gonzalez and blocking well on Koaume who then gives way to Ikonè. He still presses the Viola forcing the good Gallo to red for a double yellow card, but Lecce holds and is a blessed equal for the home team. Which takes another small step.