Verona get back to winning ways by edging struggling Venezia in Serie A
In a blistering start at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi, Gaetano Oristanio nodded Venezia ahead at the far post from a corner delivery within a couple of minutes, marking the eighth first-half goal Verona have conceded in their opening seven games so far.
However, the hosts responded swiftly seven minutes later, when Casper Tengstedt fired a first-time volley after Daniel Mosquera’s clever flick to level the scores, as both teams looked for their second win in five matches - their only prior victories in as many games arriving incidentally against Genoa by an identical 2-0 margin.
The Lagunari, fresh from a late collapse to AS Roma where they gave up a one-goal lead, faced the threat of another comeback after Verona’s quick equaliser.
However, despite Gialloblu’s momentum, Eusebio Di Francesco’s men held firm, keeping the game level despite successive chances for Mosquera and Ondrej Duda on the verge of half-time.
An end-to-end affair ensued after the restart, with Venezia’s Hans Nicolussi Caviglia letting fly an effort from outside the area over the crossbar before Reda Belahyane sent his header from point-blank range inches wide of the left post at the other end.
Verona grew more proactive of the two teams as time wore on, and their persistence paid dividends nine minutes from full-time, when Grigoris Kastanos mirrored Venezia’s first-half goal, lodging his header at the far post via Venezia keeper Jesse Joronen to put the hosts ahead for the first time in the evening.
Paolo Zanetti’s Verona overturned their three-game losing streak with the win, securing just a third victory this season, and their first since beating Genoa back at the start of September.
Meanwhile, Venezia succumb to a second successive 2-1 defeat, now losing for the fifth time in seven outings this term. They have now returned with just one point just across their five away league matches this term.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ondrej Duda (Hellas Verona)