Ascoli 2 - 5 SS-PAOLO (366004417)

Overcast weather free of rain made for a crowd turnout of 50000 at Del Duca Arena today. Mustafa Azerovic was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Žan Saje and Ibraheem Abdulah Abu-Abdul. Ascoli had chosen a strategic 2-5-3 formation. The following players took the field: Carrubbi - Privitera, Bradipo - Albertsen, Scotti Calmuzzi, Palpacelli, Scaramozzino, Traverso - Staudacher, Porto, Raffaele.

SS-PAOLO decided to use a 4-3-3 set up. They fielded: Andreuccetti - Beconcini, Rotatori, Corinto, Di Natale - Torri, Pomarè, Guido - Schiazza, Paulsson, Ceroni.

Counter-attacking seemed to be the preferred strategy of SS-PAOLO. After 26 minutes, E. Bradipo came in from the right, feinted, then sped past the off-balance defender to make the score 1 - 0, giving Ascoli the lead. With 37 minutes having been played, his teammates looked on in disbelief as F. Scotti Calmuzzi thoughtlessly misplayed the ball, setting up SS-PAOLO's C. Paulsson for an easy goal. 1 - 1. A badly positioned defensive formation on a free kick after 40 minutes led to SS-PAOLO's P. Di Natale giving the visitors the lead 1 - 2. SS-PAOLO were great at switching from defence to attack, and after 44 minutes, M. Schiazza swept through the middle on a counterattack, making the score 1 - 3. With 44 minutes played, G. Torri nearly put the visitors another one up as he broke through in the middle and fired from just outside the box, but his shot passed just over the bar. P. Palpacelli did everything he could to get one back for his Ascoli, but keeper S. Andreuccetti denied him with a spectacular block. 1 - 3 was the halftime score. Ascoli claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 65 percent.

An amazing free kick flew past the home keeper 47 minutes into the match, putting SS-PAOLO ahead 1 - 4. P. Di Natale was the scorer. The home side worked hard to get through the middle and as a result, had a good chance of getting one back as F. Traverso tried lifting the ball over keeper S. Andreuccetti. Unfortunately, the ball went just over the bar. A foul called during a SS-PAOLO counterattack resulted in a great chance to score, but P. Di Natale's shot rattled off the post. C. Paulsson showed why he is feared on the counterattack, breaking through in the middle and scoring for SS-PAOLO after 74 minutes to make the score 1 - 5. Confident in their lead, SS-PAOLO's players relaxed and focused more on defending the lead than increasing it. At 79 minutes into the game, Ascoli's P. Palpacelli deftly knocked the ball home after an impressive run down the left, reducing the visitors' lead to 2 - 5. Ascoli enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 65 percent of possession.

Ascoli's top performer was clearly D. Staudacher. On the other hand, M. Privitera's play was disheartening. C. Guido performed admirably for SS-PAOLO. R. Corinto was a disappointment, however. The match ends 2 - 5.