Serie C 23/24: Triestina 4-1 Mantova
Evening kickoff at Stadio Tognon in Fontanafredda: Triestina, revitalized and climbing the ranks after their comprehensive victory in Busto Arsizio, hosted league leaders Mantova, who came into this match on the back of four consecutive wins.
Tesser had to do without the injured Redan and started Finotto in attack alongside Lescano. Malomo and Struna formed the central defensive duo, and the midfield remained unchanged from the previous Sunday. For Mantova, Burrai orchestrated from the midfield, with former Triestina player Mensah leading the attack, supported by Galuppini and Bragantini on the wings.
The match started evenly and enjoyably, with Mantova threatening Unione in the 6th minute through a right-wing surge by Mensah. A cross into the box led to a clumsy challenge by an Unione defender on Trimboli, causing protests from the visitors, who demanded a penalty in vain.
The penalty, however, came on the other end in the 18th minute, when Burrai made a naive but clear foul on Finotto. Lescano stepped up to the spot and coolly converted to take the lead for the hosts. Immediately after the restart, Lescano, capitalizing on high pressing by his teammates, controlled the ball and scored a beautiful diagonal to make it 2-0 in the 20th minute.
Unione found spaces for counterattacks, and only a brilliant foot save by Festa in the 25th minute prevents the 3-0, again from a close-range shot by the relentless Lescano. Triestina continued their assault in the 26th minute when Pavlev delivered a great cross from the right, and Struna's header hit the post, with Festa scrambling to clear it off the line.
After a few untroubling situations for Matosevic, Finotto would have scored the third one in the 36th minute following a beautiful exchange with D'Urso, but the goal was disallowed for a dubious offside. Mantova responded a minute later with Bragantini’s low shot from the edge of the area, which Matosevic managed to deflect onto the post.
Triestina hit the woodwork again in the 41st minute when Lescano seized on a poor clearance by Galuppini and fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box, rattling the crossbar. Moments later, the Argentine forced another fine save from Festa with a low shot. Mantova threatened again on the counter with a venomous low shot from Muroni, which the Triestina defense deflected just wide.
Mantova tried to finish the half on the attack and nearly scored in the 46th minute from a corner, with Redolfi's header just missing the far corner. The score remained unchanged as Unione headed into the locker room with a two-goal lead.
An immediate response is expected from Mantova, but Lescano completed his hat-trick right at the start of the second half, heading in after Festa’s save from Finotto's shot from the edge of the box. Finotto himself scored the fourth goal in the 49th minute, drilling a low shot into the net from a great vertical pass by Celeghin.
Mantova pulled one back in the 52nd minute through Burrai, whose shot from just inside the area is deflected by Struna past Matosevic. The next ten minutes saw little of note, until Lescano's goal-bound shot was blocked by the Mantova defense, and Bragantini narrowly missed with a left-footed shot from 18 meters out in the 62nd minute.
In the 64th minute, Malomo crucially denied Bragantini from close range after a cross from Trimboli, who appeared to be in an offside position. From the resulting corner, Brignani’s header went just wide.
The action continued uninterrupted, with Mantova nearly scoring their second goal from a set-piece in the 68th minute, Redolfi’s shot in the crowded box just over the bar. On the other end, Vallocchia tested Festa with a powerful left-footed drive.
There was even time for a fifth goal by El Azrak, which was controversially ruled out for offside, but the home crowd cheered as Unione secured a splendid 4-1 victory over Mantova.
Triestina 4-1 Mantova
Scorers: 18' Lescano rig., 20' Lescano, 46' Lescano, 50' Finotto, 52' Burrai
Triestina (4-3-1-2): Matosevic; Pavlev (59' Ciofani), Struna, Malomo, Anzolin; Celeghin, Correia, Vallocchia (87' Rizzo); D'Urso (59' Germano), Finotto (59' Adorante), Lescano(87' El Azrak).
Substitutes: Bolzon, Agostino, Kacinari, Kozlowski, Fofana, Moretti, Pierobon.
Manager: Attilio Tesser
Mantova (4-3-2-1): Festa; Radaelli (75' Maggioni), Brignani, Redolfi, Panizzi; Muroni (83' Giacomelli), Burrai, Trimboli (65' Fiori); Galuppini (75' Wieser), Bragantini, Mensah (83' Debenedetti).
Substitutes: Sonzogni, Celesia, Bani, Suagher, Napoli, Argint, Monachello.
Manager: Davide Possanzini
