Debutant Perretta scores late to give short-handed Cittadella win in Lumezzane

Despite missing five defenders on Saturday, Cittadella ended its four-game winless run after defeating Lumezzane 2-1 in the final seconds at the Stadio Tullio Saleri.

Diego Falcinelli opened the scoring for the Granata before Gesualdo Napolitano rifled a volley in the 89th minute to pull the hosts level. But deep into stoppage time, substitute and debutant Gabriele Perretta pounced on a loose ball to net the winning goal.

The win snaps Cittadella’s four-game winless streak which saw the team lose back-to-back games entering the weekend. The result also broke Lumezzane’s seven-match unbeaten run at home which stretched back to September.

“It would have been a crime to draw this game,” Granata head coach Manuel Iori said in his postgame interview. “In the first half we created so many opportunities to take the lead without struggling at all. Even today, with just one shot on goal (conceded), we risked drawing the game that we had played really well.”

The Granata traveled to Lumezzane without five defenders: Alessandro Salvi, Andrea Cecchetto, Matteo Angeli, Alex Redolfi and Nicola Pavan. In their place, Iori gave debuts to Cittadella Primavera captain Michele Gobbato and new arrival Andrea Zilio, who joined from Cremonese’s Primavera last week.

Both players were making their professional debuts.

“They played an extraordinary match for many reasons,” Iori said regarding Gobbato and Zilio. “It was both their senior debuts, and they didn’t feel the pressure. I congratulate them, now they’ll have to work hard to confirm their performance.”

Both sides entered halftime scoreless despite each striking the bar. The breakthrough came at the 62th minute mark when Falcinelli finished a cross sent through the penalty area by Andrea Barberis.

Lumezzane’s best chance to level came seven minutes later when leading goalscorer Luigi Caccavo found Matteo Ferro inside the box, but the striker couldn’t get his effort on frame.

At the start of the weekend, Cittadella had conceded 13 goals in Girone A after the 75th minute, the most in the division. That trend continued as the hosts found their equalizer on the brink of stoppage time through Napolitano’s stunning volley into the top corner.

Just when it seemed over, a loose touch by Lumezzane defender Davide De Marino allowed Perretta to jump on the ball and chip the keeper to give the Granata the winning goal.

“I’m happy above all for the guys,” Iori said. “They put in an excellent performance, both psychologically and especially in terms of spirit.”

It’s a quick turnaround for Iori’s squad as Cittadella visits second-from-bottom Pro Patria on Wednesday night before hosting Renate on Feb. 18.

“We have two days to recover and immediately prepare for the next match,” Iori said. “We’ll have to work based on our energy levels and focus on that.”

TOP PHOTO: A.S. Cittadella / Facebook