Playoff Serie C 2023/24: Benevento 2-1 Triestina

At Stadio Vigorito, the return leg of the first round in the playoff national phase unfolded. Following Tuesday night's 1-1 draw at the Rocco, Triestina had only victory as the possible outcome to continue their postseason journey. Bordin fielded almost the same starting eleven from the first encounter against Benevento, with the only change being Matosevic replacing the injured Agostino in goal. Up front, D'Urso and Minesso played slightly deeper behind Redan. Auteri, on the other hand, made three changes, including replacing Pinato due to suspension, and opted for a straightforward 3-4-3 formation. Agazzi replaced Talia in midfield, and up top, Lanini started in the center with Ciciretti and Perlingieri on the wings, leaving Ferrante on the bench.

Unione started off strongly, taking the lead as early as the 3rd minute with a perfectly executed set-piece play: Correia's low delivery from thirty meters found D'Urso at the left apex, whose first-time cross was powerfully headed home by Malomo into the top right corner. Triestina remained dangerous on the counter, nearly scoring again in the 6th minute when D'Urso cleverly set up Petrasso on the left, whose left-footed strike from the edge of the box was deflected by Capellini, leaving Paleari stranded but the ball went out for a corner. Redan then caused havoc with a personal effort in the 8th minute, but his shot was rushed and sailed wide.

The hosts leveled the score in the 9th minute with their first shot on target, a gem from Ciciretti's left-footed curler from twenty-five meters, exploiting a defensive mistake by Triestina’s defense, leaving Matosevic helpless as the ball nestled into the top right corner. Benevento gained momentum and capitalized on a lazy defense to make it 2-1 on the counter with Perlingieri's precise left-footed strike from the edge of the box in the 16th minute. Triestina had two great chances in quick succession in the 24th minute, both created by Correia, first finding D'Urso whose shot was saved by Paleari, then setting up Minesso whose shot was also blocked by the ‘keeper.

The hosts didn't sit back and tested Matosevic with a venomous low shot from Improta from outside the box on the counter. The match remained intense and enjoyable, although chances were few. Triestina failed to capitalize on some inviting situations in the penalty area, while Benevento squandered a couple of promising counterattacks. In the first of three minutes of stoppage time, high pressing from the hosts led to Ciciretti's curling shot from a tight angle, but Matosevic stretched to his right and denied the threat. This was the last incident of a first half unlocked early by Triestina, but punished in the first quarter of an hour by Benevento's comeback, who went into halftime with a one-goal lead.

The second half began with Triestina incredibly unlucky just one minute in, as Redan turned well at the edge of the box and fired a diagonal shot that struck the post with Paleari beaten. Another excellent opportunity came in the 6th minute with Petrasso's run down the left, his perfectly placed cross found Vertainen but Capellini intercepted at the last moment. Unione continued to press and had a triple chance in the 14th minute, with Redan, Vertainen, and D'Urso all denied in rapid succession. There seemed to be a handball appeal against a Benevento defender in the first attempt, but VAR did not intervene.

Triestina persisted and tried again from eighteen meters with Vertainen, whose powerful strike, however, sailed over the crossbar. Just past the half-hour mark, Triestina hit the woodwork for the fourth time in two games, as Vertainen's header from Germano's cross from the right wing hit the post and went out for a goal kick. Six minutes from time, the hosts had their first chances of the second half with Karic shooting high from a tight angle and Lanini firing just over the crossbar from outside the box.

In the four minutes of stoppage time, surprisingly few considering the substitutions and numerous time-wasting incidents, Triestina attempted a desperate push forward but failed to find the breakthrough needed to avoid an undeserved defeat. A spirited second half and the woodwork denied Triestina's comeback attempt and their journey in the playoffs came to an end.

Benevento 2-1 Triestina

Scorers: Malomo 3', Ciciretti 9', Perlingieri 16'

Benevento (3-4-3): Paleari; Berra, Capellini, Viscardi (77' Karic); Improta, Agazzi (70' Meccariello), Nardi, Simonetti; Ciciretti (65' Ciano), Lanini, Perlingieri (70' Talia).

Substitutes: Manfredini, Giangregorio, Benedetti, Masciangelo, Kubica, Marotta, Ferrante, Rillo, Starita, Carfora, Bolsius.

Manager: Gaetano Auteri

Triestina (3-4-2-1): Matosevic; Malomo (19' Moretti), Struna, Rizzo; Germano (77' El Azrak), Correia, Vallocchia (46' Fofana), Petrasso (70' Pavlev); D'Urso, Minesso (46' Vertainen), Redan.

Substitutes: Diakite, Vadjunec, Gündüz, Anzolin, Lescano, Ciofani, Jonsson, Ballarini, Celeghin, Crosara.

Manager: Roberto Bordin