Final result: Brescia-Cremonese 3-2
BRESCIA
Lezzerini 6 – It’s not that he has to perform miracles, but he is always attentive and reactive on the balls that Cremonese throws towards his goal, even if there aren’t many in the first half. Less precise on a couple of exits, but effective. He can’t do much about the two goals conceded.
Dickmann 6.5 – Orderly defense at the back, he plays the role in an excellent and modern way and shows off his offensive projection. As on the occasion of the long range shot which actually led to Besaggio’s goal, with the match coming to an end.
Cistana 6.5 – He defends in every way to prevent playable balls from reaching the grey-red forwards. He gets a yellow card for his outing on Johnsen after 15 minutes, but Maran trusts him and he repays him by intelligently managing the rest of the match. A wall on the final assaults of the grey-reds.
Adorni 6 – He has his work cut out for him against a wild Zanimacchia, who he must manage together with his teammates to contain. It holds up well and gives the right amount.
Jallow 6 – Burned by the bad experience he had in the Italian Cup against the very fast Martins Jr, tonight he is thinking more about containing also because he has another talented player like Zanimacchia in front of him. Definitely a more positive evening than the one experienced on Thursday.
Bisols 6.5 – Intelligent match from the Brescia captain, who offers running and good ball management. In coverage he is providential on at least 3 occasions.
Verreth 8 – What a game. Illuminating flashes like the throw that sends Juric into the goal. The team moves around him, at his own pace, then wins back many balls. And the pearl of rare beauty on a free kick?
Assay 7 – He pounces on Dickmann’s shot, finding the advantage of pure hunger and timing. Game enhanced by the run and the balls recovered in the midfield.
From 74′ Corrado sv
Olzer 6.5 – Several plays in an evening in which he has to act mainly on the counterattack. A flash: the crossbar hit with a terrifying blow from the left.
From the 62nd minute Bertagnoli 6 – Enters and deals mainly with chasing, helping Brescia to withstand the grey-red wave.
Juric 6 – Evening spent between movements and doorbells, even a yellow remedy. He had the opportunity and didn’t make the most of it: he had a shot saved by Fulignati in an open field.
From the 62nd minute Moncini 6 – Enters at a time when Brescia has lost the field. He touches few balls, fights as much as he can.
Borrelli 7 – His goal is simply a beautiful story of will and determination not to give up. He finds the net again after months of fasting, with an action that is a mix of stubbornness and desire. An all-round performance made of great sacrifice, he leaves exhausted.
From 86′ Nuamah sv
Coach Rolando Maran 7 – His Brescia had to work on their approach, well let’s say that the mental work was excellent: a masterful first half from them. But the second is also a tribute to sacrifice, despite the two goals conceded. The quality of the opponents on the other hand remains.
CREMONESE
Fulignati 6.5 – On Besaggio’s goal he responds well, the defense doesn’t help him on the tap-in which still comes from a certain distance from the goal line. He can’t do much about Borrelli’s goal and Verreth’s free kick. Always reactive on long range attempts.
Antov 5 – Besaggio is more reactive to reiterate the goal, then Borrelli eats it. Paradoxically better when he projects forward, but defensively today he made several mistakes.
Moretti 5.5 – Cremonese dances behind, he also puts in his effort even if it is not easy to defend by running backwards: Brescia’s counterattacks keep him in constant apprehension.
Whitebait 5.5 – Even on his side Brescia enters several times without him being able to put a patch on it. He fights and grows in the second half.
Zanimacchia 6.5 – The first to try with runs on the right: he relentlessly provides interesting descents and crosses. He is the best of his team and in fact he is surprised by the change
From the 73rd minute Buonaiuto 7 – He comes in and immediately comes close to scoring, making a charge. All he needed was one chance: a free kick into the corner. Very strong impact on the match.
Collocolo 5.5 – The entire Cremonese midfield is suffering today, he has that bloody ball on his conscience which he passes to Borrelli, who then scores. In the second half he grows and is among the most proactive.
Majer 5.5 – He struggles to get the ball moving as he would like, then even in the interdiction phase he loses the duel with the Brescian midfielders. He fails to stop Borrelli who passes him before scoring.
From 73 Pickel 6 – Enters the final forcing and in a moment in which Cremonese definitely holds the ball for longer. Play with intelligence and clarity.
Vazquez 6 – He tries to invent, some interesting action comes from his foot and he puts in a couple of interesting crosses. It’s not much, but he never trivially plays the balls that pass his way.
From the 46th minute Vandeputte 6.5 – Enters and draws dangerous actions on every play, like the corner that hits Nasti’s head and reopens the game.
Sernicola 6 – Constant offensive presence and push on the wing. It is one of the few solutions that Cremonese constantly seeks and finds.
From the 67th minute Barbieri 6 – He comes in and pushes as hard as he can, but the end is very confusing on the pitch and the Grigiorossi allow few balls to arrive.
Johnsen 6 – Every action comes from his feet, in the first half in which Cremonese struggled to be present in Brescia’s half of the field. He gives Cistana a warning, but he is nervous and gets a yellow for protests. Perhaps this is also why Stroppa left him out at the end of the first half.
From the 46th minute De Luca 6.5 – Since his arrival on the pitch the team changes attitude and he is the first to make it clear that we need to change pace, with three attempts in 10 minutes. Eager, even if a little imprecise.
Nasti 6 – He earns a passing grade with that push that leads him to reopen a challenge that seemed over. Until then he had seen little, partly due to faults that were not his, but those who sent him a few good balls.
Coach Giovanni Stroppa 5.5 – It’s not that Cremonese is wrong in their approach, but without understanding how they find themselves 3 goals down after just one half. Yet the difference between the two teams had not been so abysmal in the first 45 minutes of the game. Of course, the difference in the amount of play produced by the grey-reds between the two halves of the game is abysmal and they will have to work on this.