Lecce-Spezia 0-0: eagles combative but not very precise in front of goal

Lecce, 21 May 2023 – A draw, as many expected, but it was Spezia he really tried hard to get back from Puglia with the 3 points. 1 arrives which, for now, leaves Verona behind among the three relegated (along with Sampdoria and Cremonese), with two days left to go. Lecce are happier and now find themselves at +3 from the hot zone.

Simple, as expected on the eve of the match, given Amian's absence, he prefers to drop Gyasi from the attack and send Shomurodov forward next to Nzola, thus maintaining the 3-5-2 that worked well with Milan.

The start is positive, with Gyasi taking time and space well on the right, while Shomurodov is blocked with his foot by Falcone, launched deep.

The first great opportunity arrives in the 6th minute with the usual Nzola who gets behind the direct marker (and half the defense) and then unloads his left foot and the ball goes not far from the post to Falcone's left.

Both teams are short and aggressive, Spezia certainly has more control of the game. Before the half hour Shomurodov didn't feel like shooting, fed by Ampadu in a quick counterattack, but his pass to Nzola in the center of the area was intercepted twice. And before the end of the half, Esposito tries again with a free kick (just as he had scored against Milan), going just wide.

After the break the same 22 return and practically nothing happens until halfway through the second half (previously a right-footed shot outside the area, far from the target, by Reca). On the other hand, Ampadu, Nikolaou and Gyasi blocked the opponents' shots. Esposito tries, and it's the third time, in the 28th minute, but the ball still goes high. And what a mistake for Nzola in the 33rd minute when left free at the far post, he hits a header, but on the outside of the net. Among the new arrivals, Agudelo is the most active and in the 40th minute, after a confident move and an exchange with Nzola, he unleashes a shot that just goes over the crossbar. Spezia came close to scoring at the end, but Ampadu's shot and the following one from Ekdal were saved by the home defenders sliding in front of Falcone.

Once the three minutes of injury time were over (with the aftermath of another three), the match at Via del Mare ended. Now the home match of the next round against Torino (Verona will face the already safe Empoli) and the away match at the Olimpico against Roma (Verona at San Siro against Milan), to conclude the season positively.

scoreboard

Lecce-Spezia 0-0

LECCE (4-3-3): Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Umtiti, Gallo; Gonzalez (14' st Askildsen), Blin, Oudin; Strefezza, Colombo (14' st Ceesay), Di Francesco. Available Bleve, Brancolini, Romagnoli Pongracic, Tuia, Ceccaroni, Voelkerling, Maleh, Hjulmand, Lemmens, Cassandro, Pezzella. All. Baroni.

SPICE (3-5-2): Dragowski; Wisniewski, Ampadu, Nikoloau; Gyasi (38' st Ferrer), Ekdal, Esposito, Bourabia (18' st Zurkowski), Reca; Nzola, Shomurodov (18' st Agudelo). Available Marchetti, Zoet, Cipot, Kovalenko, Krollis, Verde. Simple annexes.

Referee: Mariani from Aprilia (assistants Meli from Parma and Alassio from Imperia; fourth official Feliciani from Teramo; Var Mazzoleni from Bergamo, Avar Muto from Torre Annunziata).

Notes: 26.022 spectators, takings of 442.517,94 euros.