The plot is slightly different; the epilogue is identical. At the Chiavari Municipal, Palermo replicates the result obtained at Nereo Rocco by winning 1-2 against Entella at the end of a match that has remained on the edge of balance for a long time. The history of the match is consummated in the second half after a fought first half: Luperini unlocks the match; the former Brunori is released in the playoffs and widens the gap of the advantage; Merkaj scores the goal that keeps the Ligurians’ hopes alive in view of the return.
No calculation, no study: Entella and Palermo face each other openly and, more than the guard, they think about hitting hard. A few seconds pass and Baldini’s team is close to delivering an uppercut with Brunori, a great ex looking perhaps for revenge, certainly for glory: Morra is reactive in rejecting. Initially the rosanero became threatening but with the passing of the minutes the hosts began to gain meters of the field pushing Palermo to the ropes. At the first great danger created, with a poisonous header by Morosini in the 17 ‘, the biancazzurri have to deal with the other ex, Massolo, who is overcome with a feline reflex confirming that he is in a state of grace. The trend of the match remains unchanged: Entella keeps the center of gravity high but it is Palermo that creates the greatest danger, again with Brunori, who in the final finds again the punctual opposition of Borra.
Baldini, obviously not convinced by the midfield, decides to remove Dall’Oglio (booked and suspended for the second leg) and throw Odjer alongside Damiani. However, it cannot be said that this was the decisive move in Palermo’s advantage, which came after a lap of hands since the start of the second half. On the development of a corner beaten by Valente, Luperini, guilty alone, beats Borra with his head. A very heavy blow, in terms of range and timing, which leads the Entella to lose orientation and measures. The doubling of Palermo comes in the space of six minutes. The signature is the one expected in these playoffs by Brunori: the 9 rosanero in the 55th minute first earns the penalty by being fouled by Pellizzer and then transforms him with a ricamino displacing Borra. The joy of Palermo and of the fans present in the stands is strangled by an illness that occurred to a rosanero fan in the guest sector: the game stops for five minutes to give the doctors time to intervene.
When the game resumes, Volpe decides to increase the offensive thrust by putting first the two strikers Magrassi and Merkaj, in place of the midfielder Palmieri and the center-forward Lescano, and then of the playmaker Meazzi in place of Morosini. The choices of the Entella coach turn out to be spot on in the 68th minute: Magrassi with a beautiful personal action closed with a shot rejected in great style by Massolo earns the corner on the developments of which Merkaj finds the ball from two steps by beating the innocent extreme defender rosanero. The goal made the hosts find that verve lost after the deadly one-two of Palermo at the beginning of the half, giving the way to a final of hope for Entella and passion for Baldini’s team.
Massa’s coach decides to remove Floriano and increase the physical consistency of the team with Soleri, as always employed at Altafini. The defense of Palermo, almost flawless for 70 ‘of play, begins to lose a few hits. Massolo, who is twice forced out of the area to defuse two situations in the open field, risks a lot in the 75th minute when Capello, after a miraculous save from Buttaro, goes to a safe blow and almost makes it 2-2. As the minutes pass, however, Entella loses offensive bite without creating more important dangers. Palermo, who had an important opportunity with Odjer who wasted a rugby conversion shot from the edge, in the last quarter of an hour of play (including six recovery times), are good enough and manage to bring home the result.
The Palermo thus gives a joy to the 1111 fans present in Liguria by moving very forward with a view to a passage of the round which, however, as the match against Triestina teaches, still remains in the balance.
Entella (4-3-2-1): Borra; Coppolaro, Pellizzer, Sadiki, Barlocco; Karic, Palmieri (57 ‘Magrassi), Rada (82’ Di Cosmo); Morosini (65 ‘Meazzi) Capello (82’ Lipani); Lescano (57 ‘Merkaj). Herds Volpe
Palermo (4-2-3-1): Massolo 6.5; Buttaro 6.5, Lancini 6, Marconi 6.5, Giron 5.5 (86 ‘Crivello sv); Dall’Oglio 5.5 (45 ‘Odjer 6), Damiani 6.5; Valente 6, Luperini 7, Floriano 6.5 (71 ‘Soleri 6); Brunori 7. All Baldini 6.5
Referee: Tremolada (Monza)
Rarely: 46 ‘Luperini, 52’ Brunori (rig.), 67 ‘Merkaj
Ammonites: 24 ‘Morosini, 39’ Dall’Oglio, 54 ‘Damiani, 60’ Buttaro, 74 ‘Rada, 93’ Crivello
Monopoli-Catanzaro 1-2
Juventus U23-Padova 0-1
Feralpi Salò-Reggiana 1-0
