Tombolato delight: Cittadella snaps home winless streak in Reggiana win

After 343 days, Cittadella wins at home again.

It’s been a year of difficulties for the Granata, but they can finally celebrate a home win. The team picks up three points at the Stadio Piercesare Tombolato for the first time since Jan. 13 after defeating Reggiana 3-1 on Saturday evening.

The result pulls Cittadella out of last place in Serie B, sharing 17 points with Sudtirol in 17th place. Alessandro Dal Canto’s men will next face the side from Bolzano on Boxing Day.

“This win is for the players,” Dal Canto said after the match on what the victory means. “It takes some weight off their shoulders. Especially to the players who experienced this tough period last season.”

Cittadella had gone 16 consecutive home games without a win before facing Reggiana: the longest in club history. The win was also the first time the Granata scored more than two goals in a single match since Dec. 23, 2023 against Spezia.

After a slow first half which saw both sides each tally 0.08 expected goals, Luca Pandolfi fired Cittadella into the lead in the 62nd minute after drilling a volley into the side netting. The 26-year-old leads the team in scoring with four goals this season.

An emotional second half performance which fueled the Granata could be seen by everyone, including Dal Canto.

“The emotional aspect from the players is the most important thing,” he said. “They are the ones on the field and as a player I knew what goes through their minds when things go bad. I hope this win can help the players play with more freedom mentality in the next matches.”

Simone Tronchin struck 16 minutes later to give the Granata a two goal advantage after firing an effort from the top of the box. Mario Ravasio, who had came into the match during the second half, recorded an assist following a linkup play with Pandolfi. An emotional celebration with the entire bench saw even club general director Stefano Marchetti get in on the festive.

Reggiana kept the Cittadella home crowd on edge as the Emilia-Romagnan club pulled a goal back with six minutes remaining. Cedric Gondo tapped in a rebound to score his third goal of the season.

After late Reggiana pressure, Simone Rabbi made sure of the points in the sixth minute of stoppage time, scoring on a counter attack.

A much needed result for Dal Canto’s men who can pull themselves out of the automatic relegation zone with another victory against Sudtirol on Dec. 26.

“The team has to continue this way,” Dal Canto said. “[Sudtirol] will be another exam. It’ll be a direct clash and at a difficult stadium against a team coming from two consecutive positive results.”

PHOTO: Massimo Felicetti / A.S. Cittadella