MESSINA – Messina secured their second consecutive win, defeating Vigor Lamezia 1-0 against a completely different opponent. The home team, league leaders Nuova Igea Virtus, were at the Franco Scoglio stadium. Messina struggled for over sixty minutes, often surrendering the ball and the initiative to their opponents. Then, Saverino, responding to a powerful strike from Tourè, gave the Biancoscudati the lead with their first shot on target. This was Messina’s seventh league win, their fourth 1-0 win, a testament to their solidity. Their defensive solidity was particularly evident, with Sorrentino and the defense keeping a seventh clean sheet this season, and their fifth at home. As mentioned, Saverino’s fourth goal decided the match, goals from the midfielder from Messina that prove crucial in often close matches.
Coach Romano, for this second consecutive home game, confirms the same starting lineup that won last week against Lamezia. Orlando returns to the squad, but Bombaci starts. In defense, Bosia plays left-back, with De Caro moving to the right, and Clemente starts on the bench. Saverino and Aprile play in midfield with Garufi as the playmaker, while the established pairing of Roseti and Tourè is up front. From the 71st minute onward, Orlando, Clemente, Zucco, Tesija, and Fravola make way for five substitutions for Coach Romano, who finishes the match without any established forwards. Nuova Igea Virtus had plenty of chances but wasted too many, with no yellow cards in a closely fought derby. A group hug between the team and Pippo Romano in midfield follows the final whistle.
First half
Kick-off for the visitors, who virtually kept possession for the first ten minutes, while Messina waited for some ineffective counterattacks. Igea were awarded their first corner in the 14th minute; Messina held the score at 0-0 but were unable to attack further at this stage. In the 18th minute, Cicirello had his first shot on goal, well-placed in deep. He fired from a tight angle, but Sorrentino saved with his feet. In the 19th minute, Messina won their first corner, marking the first time Romano’s men occupied the opponent’s penalty area. Messina also had their first shot in the 24th minute, when Maisano recovered the ball high and passed it to Garufi, who was unexpected and fired poorly wide.
Igea had its best chance of the first half in the 29th minute. Calafiore freed De Souza on the flank, who crossed from the left toward the center. Neither Longo nor Cicirello reached the ball to comfortably slot it into the net, and the ball skidded into the six-yard box. The visiting team came close to taking the lead again in the 41st minute, with Squillace crossing from the left. Cicirello was the first to reach the edge of the six-yard box, but his header went wide. Finally finding space on the other side, Roseti, Saverino, and Tourè attacked. The latter two combined, but the triangle failed to close, with Saverino attempting a first-time shot but missing the ball. Toward the end of the half, Igea pushed down the left again, and Messina conceded a corner, their second, in the 44th minute. The corner kick went nowhere, and shortly thereafter a minute of injury time was added. Even after sixty seconds of injury time, the score remained unchanged, and the break was goalless.
Second half
The second half began with no changes and the same 22 players on the pitch. The second half began similarly to the first, with Igea controlling the ball and the tempo. In the 49th minute, Calafiore’s attempt from outside the box was brought down by Sorrentino, while Messina had yet to taint De Falco’s gloves. A minute later, Cardinale attempted a diving header, but the ball went wide. The visitors’ first substitution, with Coach Marra removing Cardinale and bringing on Provazza. The latter, coming on, caused some discomfort on the right side of the home defense and won a corner. Messina had a chance, with Bombaci and Tourè playing alongside one another; the striker’s pass was too long for the winger’s generous run.
The visitors also make their second substitution, replacing De Souza with Samake, while Messina’s bench remains at a standstill. In the 64th minute, Messina explodes, giving the hosts the lead. Tourè is once again unleashed down the flank, but this time he’s moving down the left. A good combination rewards Saverino’s run. The midfielder controls the ball and attempts to place it, but De Falco is imprecise, barely touching it, and it slowly slides in under the South wing, which explodes. Igea responds with a cross in the 67th minute for Samake, who heads the ball over. Two more substitutions are made for the visitors, with Maggio and Longo coming off, and Mirashi and former player Vacca coming on.
Igea reacted furiously, leaving space for Bombaci to take advantage, firing a shot that tested De Falco once again, but this time he was unable to beat him. Messina made its first substitutions in the 71st minute, with Bosia and Bombaci coming off for Clemente and Orlando. Igea came close to scoring again in the 77th minute, with Samake alone in the box and missing the target again. In the 81st minute, Messina counterattacked with Tourè beating Squillace on the right and gaining the byline. He crossed into the box, where Roseti was marked and Aprile was alone. The ball reached Aprile, who acrobatically turned it in, but De Falco, with the ball bouncing in front of him, lifted it just over the crossbar. Coach Romano took an exhausted Tourè off the pitch and replaced him with Tesija. Late in the match, an exhausted Roseti was also replaced by Fravola, leaving Messina without any established strikers on the pitch. Five minutes were awarded by the referee, and Samake had a chance in the 92nd minute. The Igea striker’s volley shook the Franco Scoglio. It would be the last chance, as Messina held firm and Sorrentino kept a seventh clean sheet.
ACR Messina – Nuova Igea Virtus 1-0
ACR Messina (3-5-2) : Sorrentino; De Caro, Trasciani, Bosia (Clemente from 71′); Maisano, Saverino (Zucco from 76′), Garufi, Aprile, Bombaci (Orlando from 71′); Tourè (Tesija from 84′), Roseti (Fravola from 90′).
On the bench : Paduano, Azzara, Elia, Yejalej.
Coach: Giuseppe Romano.
Nuova Igea Virtus (4-3-1-2) : De Falco; Cess, Maddaloni, Maggio (Mirashi from 68′), Squillace; Cardinale (Provezza from 57′), De Souza (Samake from 62′), Balsano, Calafiore; Longo (Vacca from 68′), Cicirello.
On the bench : Testagrossa, Atteo, Lomolino, Di Paola, Papaserio.
Coach: Salvatore Marra.
Goalscorers: Saverino 64′ (M).
Corners: 2-3. Added time: 1′ + 5′.
Referee: Giosuè Ambrosino of Torre del Greco.
Assistants: Emanuele Petrakis of Siena and Pierpaolo Silvestri of Ascoli Piceno.
