Spezia continued their impressive push for promotion with a 2-1 victory over Pescara at the Stadio Adriatico – Giovanni Cornacchia on Monday night. The visitors scored early, were pegged back just before half-time, but found a late winner to claim all three points in a fiercely contested Serie C derby.

Match Overview

Pescara and Spezia have a long history of competitive clashes, and this one lived up to its billing. Spezia started brightly and took the lead inside 10 minutes, but Pescara grew into the game and equalised with a well-worked goal on the stroke of half-time. The second half was end-to-end, with both goalkeepers called into action before Spezia’s Filippo Bandinelli struck the winner 12 minutes from time. The victory keeps Spezia in the automatic promotion places, while Pescara’s inconsistent form continues.

Key Moments

• 9th minute: Spezia took the lead when Emmanuel Gyasi burst down the right and squared for Luca Moro to tap in.
• 27th minute: Pescara’s Matteo Brunori forced a fine save from the Spezia goalkeeper with a curling effort.
• 45+1 minute: Pescara equalised as Gianluca Caprari drilled a low shot into the bottom corner after a neat exchange on the edge of the box.
• 63rd minute: Spezia’s Salvatore Esposito hit the post from a free-kick.
• 78th minute: Spezia won it when Filippo Bandinelli arrived late in the box to convert a cut-back from the left.
• 90+4 minute: Pescara’s Federico Bonazzoli headed wide from six yards with the last chance of the game.

Tactical Story

Pescara lined up in a 4-3-3 and tried to play out from the back, but Spezia’s aggressive high press caused them problems early on. The visitors’ 3-5-2 allowed them to dominate the midfield, with the wing-backs pushing high to create overloads. After falling behind, Pescara switched to a more direct approach, and the equaliser came from a quick transition. In the second half, Spezia regained control by dropping their defensive line slightly and hitting Pescara on the counter. The winning goal was a textbook example of their counter-attacking prowess.

Standout Players

• Filippo Bandinelli (Spezia): Scored the winner and was a constant threat with his late runs into the box.
• Emmanuel Gyasi (Spezia): Provided the assist for the opener and tormented Pescara’s left-back all night.
• Gianluca Caprari (Pescara): Pescara’s best player, scoring a brilliant equaliser and creating several chances.
• Luca Moro (Spezia): Held the ball up well and took his goal confidently.

Table and Season Impact

Spezia move to second in the Serie C table, two points behind the leaders with a game in hand. Their promotion credentials look stronger with each passing week. Pescara, meanwhile, remain in 11th place, six points adrift of the playoff spots. The defeat is a blow to their ambitions, and manager Zdeněk Zeman will be concerned by his side’s inability to hold onto a draw against one of the division’s best teams. Spezia’s late winner could prove to be a pivotal moment in the season.