Benevento produced a clinical away performance to beat Arezzo 3-0 in their Italian Serie B clash at the Stadio Città di Arezzo on 25 October 2026. The visitors combined disciplined defending with ruthless finishing, scoring once before half-time and twice after the restart to secure a result that strengthens their push toward the promotion places.

Arezzo had spells of possession and forced a handful of saves, but they were undone by Benevento’s sharpness in transition and their inability to defend set pieces and second balls. The scoreline flattered neither side: Benevento were the more compact, more direct and ultimately more decisive team across the 90 minutes.

Match overview

Arezzo set up with an aggressive 4-3-3, looking to press high and use the width of the pitch. Benevento, by contrast, sat in a compact 4-2-3-1 out of possession and looked to spring forward through the channels whenever Arezzo lost the ball in midfield. That contrast defined the contest: Arezzo had the ball, but Benevento had the clearer ideas about what to do with it.

The opening quarter was competitive. Arezzo moved the ball well through midfield and won a couple of early corners, but the first meaningful moment came from a Benevento counter. A quick turnover in the middle third released the right-sided attacker, and the resulting cross was only half-cleared. Benevento recycled possession and forced another corner, which led to the breakthrough.

Key moments

• 23’ — Arezzo 0-1 Benevento: Alessandro Caporale met a deep corner at the back post and steered a header back across goal and into the far corner. Arezzo’s goalkeeper had no chance after the ball was flicked on at the near post.
• 41’ — Arezzo’s best chance: The hosts worked a neat move down the left, but the final shot from the edge of the box was blocked bravely by a Benevento defender after a last-ditch slide.
• 57’ — Arezzo 0-2 Benevento: Matteo Ricci converted from the penalty spot after a handball was given against an Arezzo defender. Ricci sent the goalkeeper the wrong way with a low, composed finish.
• 68’ — Save at 0-2: Arezzo pushed forward and forced a sharp near-post save from Benevento’s goalkeeper, who turned the ball behind for a corner.
• 84’ — Arezzo 0-3 Benevento: Gianluca Ferrante sealed the win on the counter, racing onto a through ball before finishing calmly past the advancing goalkeeper.

Tactical story

Arezzo’s build-up play was patient but predictable. Their midfielders dropped deep to collect, yet Benevento’s front four screened the central lanes effectively and forced the hosts wide. Once Arezzo crossed halfway, they struggled to find the final pass, and their crosses were often met by Benevento’s centre-backs rather than their own forwards.

Benevento’s game plan was built on control without the ball. They allowed Arezzo to circulate in harmless areas, then pounced when the hosts committed numbers forward. The second goal, from the penalty spot, came from a period of sustained pressure, while the third was a textbook counter-attacking goal: a turnover, a vertical pass and a finish delivered with real composure.

The visitors also dominated the aerial duels. Caporale’s opener was the clearest example, but Benevento won most of the important headers in both boxes. Arezzo’s defenders, meanwhile, were often caught ball-watching at set pieces, and that weakness proved costly.

Standout players

Alessandro Caporale was excellent at both ends, scoring the opening goal and dealing with Arezzo’s aerial threat. Matteo Ricci controlled the tempo in midfield and showed nerves of steel from the penalty spot, while Gianluca Ferrante grew into the game and capped his performance with the third goal.

For Arezzo, the goalkeeper kept the score respectable with several smart saves, and the left-back was one of the few home players who consistently carried the fight. But too many of Arezzo’s attacking players drifted out of the game after the first goal.

Serie B table and season impact

The three points are a significant boost for Benevento’s Serie B campaign. A 3-0 away win against a direct rival for positioning is exactly the kind of result that builds momentum, and it keeps them in the upper half of the table and within touching distance of the promotion playoff places. Their defensive record away from home is becoming a real asset.

For Arezzo, the defeat leaves them with work to do. They showed enough in possession to suggest they can compete, but the lack of cutting edge in the final third and the repeated lapses at set pieces are concerns. With the Serie B standings tightening, Arezzo will need to turn promising spel