Masciangelo scores late as Cittadella beats Palermo again, enters new year out of relegation zone

Three weeks ago, Cittadella suffered its joint worst loss in professional club history, losing 5-0 against Spezia to put the Granata bottom of Serie B.

Today, left-back Edoardo Masciangelo and Cittadella are going into the new year outside the relegation zone following three straight wins and a draw.

Cittadella defeated Palermo for the third time in 2024 after the left-back struck in stoppage time to give the Granata a second successive home win at the Stadio Piercesare Tombolato.

“Winning three games in a week is not easy,” Masciangelo said after the game. “It is not a given and we did it. We are a team of hard workers and are committed.”

The 28-year-old from Rome, who scored against his former club, started his 13th straight match on the left flank and netted his first goal for Cittadella since signing in the summer. The Granata are now undefeated in four games and have won three straight as the league pauses for two weeks.

“Winning helps everything,” he said on what has changed. “The players who have more experience came together to talk honestly and an awareness came out from everyone. We understood to pass this difficult moment we had to be better in everything. Everyone has a bit of responsibility now.”

Alessio Vita, another midfielder from Rome, opened the scoring for Cittadella on the brink of halftime after he riffled a volley into the bottom corner from Francesco D’Alessio pass.

D’Alessio was caught in controversy shortly after the break as he was shown a red card for a last-man challenge. After an on-field review, referee Simone Galipo scrapped the decision and instead issued the ex-Roma midfielder a yellow card.

But Palermo would respond on the following set piece when United States international Kristoffer Lund followed a rebounded shot from Matteo Brunori.

The Rosanero tallied six shots on frame during the second half as well as obtaining majority of the possession. A chance to steal the win came in the 83rd minute when Claudio Gomes found Pietro Ceccaroni free at the far post, but the center-back could not direct his effort on target.

The winner came from Masciangelo in stoppage time after the left-back beat one defender inside the box and fired a shot to the far corner, bouncing inside the post and into the net.

Following Sunday’s results around the league, Cittadella will enter 2025 in 15th place on 23 points and a point behind Palermo. Head coach Alessandro Dal Canto’s men will return to action in Cesena on Jan. 12, but the Cittadella boss wants his team to stay focused amid the recent success.

“The break is good for us to recover some players,” Dal Canto said after the game. “But the standings are still delicate.”

“Until we get to a point where safety is guaranteed, we have to stay alert.”

PHOTO: Massimo Felicetti / A.S. Cittadella