USO GALAXY 5-5 RealValle

The third-to-last day of the championship pits Real Valle against the Galaxy in a challenge that smells of fourth place. The yellow-and-reds before the match have the best position in the group that follows the Big3 on 27 points; the orange-and-orange, on 25, take aim at attacking and overtaking. By virtue of the other results the hosts need a point for arithmetic salvation (by no means a given in such a balanced league). The sore note are the defections among the ranks of Mr. Bertolini's boys: Boccuti is likely to have ended his season early after picking up a strain in Wednesday's refinement; Davide Bregoli and Gamba still unavailable (albeit for different reasons), Mazzetti disqualified and Belotti away from Castegnato. As if that were not enough, Gazzoli is half injured and enlisted only if needed. The starting 7 is therefore composed of Martinuz; Crea, Romeo; Fioretti, Magri, Zammarchi; Bergamaschi (a disp. Bregoli F, Gazzoli).

The Galaxy approached the match in the best possible way, going immediately to score with Zammarchi, author of his fourth goal in the last 60 minutes played. The return from injury revitalized the scoring streak of the Diez, one of the most in form of the last period.

Real Valle, however, is alive and well, always dangerous with the sorties of its center forward, a genuine thorn in the side of the Giallorossi rearguard. In the space of three minutes the guests stabbed the Magical Army three times, incredibly taking the lead 1-3 in a flash.

The Galaxy's reaction, however, was immediate and bore the signature of Bergamaschi: in the 12th minute his angry conclusion pierced the goalkeeper for the 2-3 goal. In the 14th minute a beautiful action on the right led by an adventurous Romeo leads to Fioretti's first goal of the season (in goal after a 32-game fast) and allows the hosts to regain parity. Real suffered the blow and four minutes later fell again, pierced again by Bergamaschi imbued directly from a Martinuz deflection. At the end of the first half, the match director punishes with the maximum penalty a flashy holding in the penalty area on Bergamaschi. From the penalty spot came the number 2 himself, glacial in clearing the goalkeeper and signing goal number 21 that crowned him as the team's new top scorer (surpassed by Magri at 20). The first half goes into the archives with the score 5-3.

The resumption starts again with the same 7. In the 4' a general carelessness leads the guests to the goal of the momentary 5-4. Zammarchi on the left creates havoc by eluding his marker; he serves to the center where Bergamaschi and Fioretti are well positioned, but neither of them finds the ball, which mockingly crosses the entire small area before going off in a throw-in. A little later the exhausted outside number 9 calls for a change and Bregoli takes his place. In minute 8 the guests found the equalizing goal on a half-loose ball not read correctly by the Giallorossi.

In fact, a new game begins, less swaggering and more conservative on both sides. The Galaxy try to manage their energy and avoid pushing with maximum firepower so as not to leave their opponents' side. The chances thin out and the more time passes the more a draw seems the best result the match can offer.

Thus it comes to the triple whistle, with neither winners nor losers, but probably with a point apiece that pleases both teams. The Galaxy retain fourth place, while Real gains a point on the hot zone of the standings.

The next fixture sees the Galaxy engaged in Muratello before the last 50' between the walls of Long Street Park which will host GO S.Giovanni in a match that could be worth the title.