Poker Cremonese, Mantova resists for a while. Grigiorossi chasing third place

Cremona, 25 April 2025 – At the “Zini” Mantova managed to hold its own against the highly rated Cremonese for only one half. After the 1-1 of the first 45', in fact, the grey-reds engage the turbo and they showed all their potential, taking the lead and extending it to the final 4-2.

The success allows Stroppa's team to get closer to Spezia and to relaunch his pursuit of third place, while forcing the Virgilians to remain with only two points of advantage on the hot zone of an increasingly intricate ranking in the lower part.

Even with profoundly different motivations, at this point, the next commitments of the two teams become fundamental Lombard. On Thursday 1st May, the fearsome Cesena will show up at the “Martelli”, Bianchetti and his teammates, for their part, will have to try to continue their journey at the home of a Sampdoria increasingly entangled in the fight to avoid slipping into Serie C.

On both fronts, in any case, the certainty is that, with four games still to play, from now on the points acquire a very special value and in the remaining 360 minutes not even the slightest mistake will be allowed.

The match

As for the Zini match, the start immediately gives strong emotions. Mister Possanzini's team, one of the many ex-derby players, starts off on the right foot and after only 4' he takes the lead with the ex's head shot Redolfi, who a couple of minutes later will be forced to leave due to injury. The red and whites want to exploit the enthusiasm and Galuppini and Mensah try to double the score, but the hosts they don't want to make a misstep and in the 24th minute they scored the equaliser with Johnsen, after having grazed it twice a few minutes earlier with De Luca.

Once parity was restored, the match remained enjoyable, played openly by both sides who managed to create good chances. The first half ended without any further goals, however.

The beginning of the second half definitely changes the tone of the match. At the first action, after only 2', the Cremonese overtakes. Vandeputte, with his head, passes to DeLuca, that of first intention company il 2-1. Mantova doesn't even have time to react, because in the 8th minute, again following a cross from Barbieri, the ball arrives at Collocolo that she seals the hat-trick which, in practice, ends the derby prematurely. The Virgilians try not to give up, but Stroppa's team confidently controls the situation. At 28' De Luca scores the poker, while a tenacious Brignani, another ex of the day, at 32' scores the final 4-2 goal which relaunches the grey-red ambitions and forces the Virgilian rookie to tremble again.

The little table

Cremonese-Mantua 4-2 (1-1)

Cremonese (3-5-2): Fulignati 6; Ceccherini 6 (1' st Antov 6), Ravanelli 6 (33' st Folino sv), Bianchetti 6,5; Barbieri 7 (17' st Azzi 6), Pickel 6, Castagnetti 6 (1' st Collocolo 6,5), Vandeputte 6 (23' st Valoti 6), Zanimacchia 6,5; Johnsen 6,5, De Luca 7. Subs: Drago; Tannander; Gelli; Majer; Moretti; Bonazzoli; Gabbiani. Coach: Giovanni Stroppa 6,5. Mantova (4-2-3-1): Party 6; Maggioni 6, Brignani 6,5 (38' st Solini sv), Redolfi 6 (6' pt De Maio 6), Bani 6; Trimboli 6,5, Burrai 6 (19' st Wieser 6); Galuppini 6, Mancuso 6 (19' st Aramu 6), Fiori 6 (19' st Bragantini 6); Mensah 6,5. Subs: Sonzogni; Solini; Debenedetti; Fedel, Artioli; Giordano; Muroni; Paoletti. Coach: Davide Possanzini 6. Referee: Federico Dionisi from L'Aquila 6. networks: 4' pt Redolfi; 24' pt Johnsen; 2' st De Luca; 8' st Collocolo; 28' st De Luca; 32' st Brignani Footnotes: yellow cards Ceccherini; Ravanelli; Bianchetti; Barbieri; Barbieri, Possanzini (coach Mantova); Bani; Brignani – corners: 4-3 – injury time: 3' and 5'.