Italy May 2011

A three game trip to Italy including watching the visit of Napoli to Lecce.

Agony in Abruzzo.

Pescara 0 Livorno 1.

All caused by a goalie error in the 14th minute as the Pescara custodian fumbled a shot by the Livorno captain, Danilevicius.

A large crowd of over 18,000 came to see if the local team could get close to the Serie B play-offs, they went home encouraged by their players efforts but dismayed by the outcome.

Livorno wasted time, looked dangerous on the break and tended to stifle Pescara’s play.
They now have more of a chance to make the top six.

Despite it being a fairly cool night near the Adriatic many fans couldn’t resist stopping for an ice cream on the way home. I resisted.

Moderate in Modena.

Modena 1 Grosseto 1.

A stop in Modena on a roundabout route from Pescara to Brindisi.

The stadium is handily close to the railway and bus station.
It comprises a, neat, mostly covered single tier with the away fans (about 50) to the left and the home ultras to the right.

The main interest following Greco’s cross conversion was the annoyance caused by Sforzini the Grosseto top scorer and an ex-Modena player. He had headed the equaliser and generally antagonised the crowd, many of which hurled abuse at him throughout most of the match.

Apart from that the game settled into a stalemate even though there was 6 minutes of added time at the end.

Time enough to make the Bologna airport bus and flight to Brindisi.

Sensation in Salento.

Lecce 2 Napoli 1.

A famous win for Lecce after Uruguayan substitute Chevanton had struck a dramatic winner sparking much local celebration.
His shot, following a terrific move thumped against the bar and came down just about over the line.
For a moment there was some doubt and despite the Napoli protests the goal was given.

Most of the action in this game was in the second half including two red cards, the first seemed a little unlucky for the initial goalscorer, Corvia.
But the other for Napoli top scorer Cavani was clear - a second yellow for a silly tackle.

One of the Napoli substitutes, Mascara, had glanced in an equaliser and it looked like the visitors, well backed by their travelling fans, would at least go home with a point.
That was until the intervention of the popular Chevanton.

The result moved Lecce out of the bottom three and dented Napoli’s chances of finishing as runners-up to newly crowned champions, Milan.

After the match I took the long stroll back, in pleasant sunny weather, to the centre and onto the convenient 6.05 train back to Brindisi.

more pictures at http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/767565362