“Fellipe Jack opens the scoring for Catanzaro just before the break, converting an assist from Simone Pontisso after the midfielder had been involved in building pressure throughout the half.”
Pivotal“Substitute Ruggero Frosinini puts the match beyond doubt within nine minutes of coming on, scoring Catanzaro's second goal to make it 2-0 and extinguish any lingering hope of a Monza comeback.”
Pivotal“A chaotic closing stretch sees four yellow cards brandished in the final minutes as tensions boil over, with Antov, N'Dri Koffi, Demba Thiam and another player all cautioned in a fractious end to the match.”
Monza
Catanzaro
Outstanding performance
Monza•GoalkeeperCatanzaro arrived at Monza and thoroughly dominated proceedings from start to finish, controlling 67% of possession and registering 15 shots to the hosts' nine in a performance that underlined the gulf between the two sides on the night. The visitors pressed their territorial advantage from early on, and it was Fellipe Jack who broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, converting after a move that began with Pontisso — the same man who had been cautioned earlier in the half — turning provider. Monza's half-time changes brought on Petagna and Pompetti in search of a response, but Catanzaro continued to threaten, and substitute Ruggero Frosinini put the game beyond doubt with a second goal in the 78th minute, just nine minutes after coming on — though he was himself booked moments later in a feisty closing spell that produced six yellow cards between the 85th and 90th minutes. The result is a significant one in the context of the Serie B campaign, with Catanzaro's win carrying real weight in the standings and Monza left to reflect on a passive and ultimately toothless display in which their solitary big chance went begging.
How entertaining was this match?
Demba ThiamYellow CardDemba Ngagne Thiam receives a yellow card.
Valentin AntovYellow CardValentin Antov receives a yellow card.
Yellow card shown to Ndri Koffi.
Samuele BirindelliYellow CardSamuele Birindelli receives a yellow card.
Ruggero FrosininiYellow CardYellow card issued to Ruggero Frosinini.
Pedro Mba Obiang Avomo comes on for Perico, while Hernani Azevedo Junior is substituted off.
Ruggero FrosininiRuggero Frosinini takes a shot with his head and scores a goal.
Marco D'Alessandro is on, and Tommaso Cassandro is off.
Ndri Koffi replaces Mattia Liberali.
Gabriele Alesi's right-footed shot is blocked.
Valentin Antov comes on for Adam Bakoune.
Filippo Pittarello takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Lorenzo Lucchesi replaces Andrea Carboni.
Giuseppe Caso replaces Patrick Cutrone.
Pietro Iemmello takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Mattia Liberali's left-footed shot is saved.
Ruggero Frosinini is on, and Fellipe Jack is off.
Gabriele Alesi takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Marco Pompetti takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Hernani Azevedo Junior takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Leonardo Colombo's header is saved.
Pietro Iemmello takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Gabriele Alesi comes on for Federico Di Francesco.
Paulo Azzi's right-footed shot is blocked.
Filippo Pittarello attempts a header but misses the shot.
Patrick Cutrone takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Marco Pompetti comes on for Simone Pontisso.
Andrea Petagna is on, and Dany Mota Carvalho is off.
The first half ends with the score at 0-1.
Matteo Pessina takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Andrea Carboni's right-footed shot is saved.
Andrea Carboni's right-footed shot is saved.
Mattia Liberali's left-footed shot is saved.
assist: Simone Pontisso
Goal! Fellipe Jack scores to make it 1-0, assisted by Simone Pontisso.
Simone Pontisso takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Pietro Iemmello takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Simone PontissoYellow CardSimone Pontisso receives a yellow card.
Patrick Cutrone's right-footed shot is saved.
Simone Pontisso's right-footed shot is blocked.
Patrick Cutrone takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Fellipe Jack's header is saved.
Monza host Catanzaro at the U-Power Stadium in the second leg of the Serie B promotion final, carrying a commanding 2-0 advantage from the first leg. With a return to Serie A tantalizingly close, Monza need only avoid collapse while Catanzaro must produce a miraculous turnaround to stay alive. This is winner-takes-all football at its most dramatic.
