Cremonese play host to Catanzaro in the semi-final second leg of the Serie B playoffs at Stadio Giovanni Zini on Saturday.
The first meeting in Calabria on Tuesday ended 2-2, meaning all the hosts need is a draw to advance to the final against Venezia or Palermo.
Match preview
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Giovanni Stroppa's Cremonese side avoided losing their playoff semi-final first-leg against Catanzaro on Monday, but the manager must have been displeased by the manner of La Cremo's result.
Frank Tsadjout and Daniel Ciofani netted in minutes 14 and 50 respectively to put the Tigers ahead, but that lead was wiped out in 20 minutes. Conceding to Catanzaro a minute after doubling their advantage gave their opponents the impetus to chase another, duly arriving with 20 minutes of normal time to play.
Stroppa's men were happy to end the game without losing by the end, as they fought an onslaught from the wasteful Southern Eagles, who should have won Tuesday's match on the balance of the chances that fell to both teams.
The upshot of the draw means La Cremo will advance to the two-legged final against Venezia or Palermo if they avoid a loss in Saturday's reverse fixture, as the higher-ranked team in the table progresses if the tie ends without a definite winner.
The Tigers can be full of confidence this weekend, having won two consecutive matches on their turf before the regular season ended, and they head into the pivotal game on a four-game undefeated sequence.
Their opponents may feel that unbeaten streak should have been halted by the third game after Monday's events in Calabria saw Vincenzo Vivarini's men twice hit the woodwork and miss a glut of clear-cut chances.
Alfredo Donnarumma, introduced in the final 11 minutes of the first leg, was culpable in missing two high-value opportunities to find the game's winning goal as it ended 2-2.
Aquile del Sud's inability to score a third goal to add to Tommaso Biasci and Enrico Brignola's strikes means a win is imperative on Saturday to avoid their promotion chase ending in disappointment.
The travelling fans can hope for a positive outcome this weekend, given their team's encouraging sequence of road results to close out the regular season, losing one of their final eight away matches in Serie B's regular season.
While the only defeat at Ternana (1-0) was their last match on their travels, it does not invalidate the four wins and three draws that preceded it, even if a tie will not suffice at Cremonese.
Team News
Mouhamadou Sarr (ligament) is not anticipated to play any part for Stroppa's men, while doubts remain about Michele Collocolo and Felix Afena-Gyan, with the latter not making the squad since the start of May.
Massimo Coda scored 16 goals in the regular season — 11 more than Dennis Johnsen's five — and the 35-year-old should return to the lineup having come on as a substitute in the reverse fixture.
Catanzaro could be without the trio of Giuseppe Ambrosino, Luca D'Andrea and Andrea Ghion because of injury issues that have recently kept them out.
Pietro Iemmello and Biasci scored a combined 25 goals in the regular season, making them potential threats to the home side.
Cremonese possible starting lineup:
Saro; Antov, Rvanelli, Bianchetti; Zanimacchia, Vazquez, Castagnetti, Pickel, Quagliata; Falletti, Coda
Catanzaro possible starting lineup:
Fulignati; Oliveri, Brighenti, Antonini, Veroli; Petriccione, Pontisso; Sounas, Biasci, Vandeputte; Iemmello
We say: Cremonese 1-0 Catanzaro (Cremonese advance 3-2 on aggregate)
Cremonese conceded the fewest home goals in Serie B's regular season (15), aided by a six-match sequence without conceding, and the hosts should capitalise on their strength in front of their supporters to secure a place in the final.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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