League Play-Off

Stadio Sesto San Gio
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Alexander De Rossi got the match started through his kick off. Emanuele Mercuri was in the perfect position, and the defense had done a good job marking him, but Alexander De Rossi showcased his skills and made a perfect shot to score 1-0 in the 7 minute of play. The crowd rose to their feet as Alexander De Rossi kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Emanuele Mercuri. That made the score 2-0 in the 10 minute of play. Fedele Rotili hit a great freekick 14 minutes into the match. Carmine Troilo recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 15th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. 19 minutes into the match, Sesto San Giovanni's Alexander De Rossi sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Emanuele Mercuri narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After a rather tough play, Sesto San Giovanni's Fedele Rotili got a free kick in the 22nd minute. 22 minutes into the match, Sesto San Giovanni's goal looked a bit too open when Alex Gualtieri came free, but Alessio Sacchi reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 24 minutes, Demetrio Monti mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Arese and the Sesto San Giovanni players grew even worse after the yellow card. A collision led to Arese getting a freekick after 24 minutes play. Demetrio Monti hit a great ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Alex Gualtieri in the 29th minute of play forced Sesto San Giovanni's goalkeeper Alessio Sacchi to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 32 minutes of play, Arese's Aldo Mannella made it 2-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Alessio Sacchi was left in no man's land by his defense there! After a defensive mix-up in Arese's zone, Enrico Quercia stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Emanuele Mercuri came out of the goal and Enrico Quercia tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Alex Gualtieri received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 41st minute. Alessio Sacchi tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Aldo Mannella sent away a hard shot on goal in the 44th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Aldo Mannella to strike the kick off in the second half. 54 minutes into the match, Enrico Quercia had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Emanuele Mercuri. Arese's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Enrico Quercia was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 3-1. In the 57th minute, Dario Imperiale hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After having played for 58 minutes, Aldo Mannella managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Arese's supporters crossed their fingers, but Aldo Mannella was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. When Aldo Mannella came up free with the goalie in the 66th minute, the Arese fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Aldo Mannella couldn't finish the play. After a rather tough play, Sesto San Giovanni's Amerigo Caccia got a free kick in the 69th minute. When Aldo Mannella came up free with the goalie in the 70th minute, the Arese fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Aldo Mannella couldn't finish the play. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Amerigo Caccia during the 72nd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In the 72nd minute, Amerigo Caccia hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Alessio Sacchi made a fantastic save in the 74th minute, when Alex Gualtieri sent off a good shot on target. When Sesto San Giovanni's Alexander De Rossi in the 78th minute got a chance for a shot 78th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Arese's goalie prevented a goal. The audience thought a goal was coming when Alex Gualtieri got free with Alessio Sacchi in the 81st minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Emanuele Mercuri showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Enrico Quercia, who was totally free with the ball in the 83rd minute. Enrico Quercia fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 84th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Emanuele Mercuri having to interfere. In the 87th minute Amerigo Caccia shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Emanuele Mercuri saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Alessio Sacchi showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Aldo Mannella in the 90th minute of the match. 93 minutes into the match, Aldo Mannella dribbled the ball past the defender and swiftly kicked the ball to the left of Alessio Sacchi, 3-2. Enrico Quercia sent away a hard shot on goal in the 97th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered when the referee blew the final whistle. Sesto San Giovanni had won after a very even match.