National Play-offs Round 2 - Audace Cerignola 2-2 Atalanta U23s
A draw that leaves us empty-handed
A 2-2 draw at the Domenico Monterisi brought Atalanta's outstanding 2024/25 Serie C Play-offs journey to an end. Following a goalless draw in the quarter-final first leg, a draw in the second leg meant that Audace Cerignola could progress by virtue of having finished higher in the league standings.
Atalanta U23s came out full throttle from the outset, and three minutes into the game, Vlahović was sent through on goal and brought down by Greco, who was initially sent off but had the red card waved off following a VAR decision. The deadlock was broken in the 12th minute when Ceresoli cut inside and, after a left-foot dummy, unleashed a right-foot strike into the top corner. On 16 minutes, Panada stole the ball in the final third and set up Vlahović, who was denied by Russo one-on-one. Atalanta piled on the pressure and De Nipoti came close to doubling the Nerazzurri's lead in the 20th minute with a curling effort at the back post. A few minutes later, Del Lungo combined with Vlahović, whose back-heel flick set up our no. 3, who could not find the target. Ceresoli tried again from distance on 41 minutes, but his scorcher was inches over.
In the second half, Bergonzi had a chance to double Atalanta's lead on 62 minutes when he was sent through on goal by Panada, but his central shot was saved by the Cerignola goalkeeper. Salvemini drew Cerignola level on 69 minutes, and four minutes later, Volpe put the home side ahead from a corner. However, our U-23 side weren't about to go down without a fight, and Cassa had a golden opportunity to equalise in the 81st minute, but shot wide of an empty net. The equaliser came five minutes later when Vavassori controlled the ball, turned and fired home with his left foot.
AUDACE CERIGNOLA 2-2 ATALANTA U23s
Scorers: Ceresoli 12 (AT), Salvemini 69 (AC), Volpe 73 (AC), Vavassori 87 (AT)
Audace Cerignola: Greco, Russo (Sainz-Maza 84), Capomaggio, Visentin (Romano 46), Coccia, Tascone (Achik 56), Salvemini, Bianchini (Mcjannet 46) Gonnelli, Cuppone (Volpe 56), Martinelli (C). Unused bench: Saracco, Fares, Ligi, D'Andrea, Velasquez, Nicolao, Ianzano, Carrozza. Coach: Giuseppe Raffaele.
Atalanta U23s: Vismara, Del Lungo, Gyabuaa (C), De Nipoti, Panada, Obrić (Vavassori 74), Ceresoli, Cassa (Lonardo 85), Bernasconi, Bergonzi, Vlahović (Alessio 85). Unused bench: Pardel, Dajčar, Tornaghi, Berto, Pounga, Masi, Comi, Ghislandi, Artesani, Riccio, Navarro. Coach: Francesco Modesto.
Referee: Dario Madonia from Palermo;
Assistant referees: Stefano Franco from Padua and Giorgio Ermanno Minafra from Roma 2;
Fourth official: Giuseppe Maria Manzo from Torre Annunziata;
VAR: Niccolò Baroni from Florence;
AVAR: Gianluca Renzi from Pesaro.
Notes: Capomaggio (AC), Martinelli (AC), Sainz-Maza (AC) booked