After over 4,100 minutes of a long tough season, Benevento and Carpi will have their promotion fate decided in the final 90 of the season.

 

The second leg of their promotion play-off to see who reaches the elite of Italian football is tonight with both teams locked in stalemate after the first game; a result which benefits Benevento. 

 

The Serie B playoff rules state that after the two-legged final if there is a draw then the team that finished highest in the regular season standings will be promoted, no extra-time, no penalties and no away goal ruling. Benevento who finished in 5th place hold the advantage over Carpi who ended up in 7th.

 

The first leg was a cagey affair and it seemed that Benevento could not decide how to play the game; stuck between playing for and away draw or stealing a goal, they ended up looking nervous and unsure. Whilst Carpi, who after their crazy second leg semi-final with Frosinone could not field their first choice team due to suspensions as Struna and Gagliolo had been sent off, seemed to be content not to lose the game.

 

Tonight we can expect a different contest; the home comforts of Campania will be most welcome as the visitors were soundly beaten 3-0 the last time they visited the Stadio Ciro Vigorito. Striker Fabio Ceravolo, who finished second in the Serie B scoring charts, should be fit to return after missing the last two games. His guile will be fundamental in making sure that Benevento carry a goal threat themselves and not allowing Carpi to dictate the game, his ability to score with either foot and his head makes him a difficult player to defend against.

 

Carpi know they have to win the game but will need to be cautious, strikers Kevin Lasagna and Jerry Mbakogu will have to be more efficient with the chances that come their way than they were in the first leg. Lasagna especially, considering he has scored almost 33% of the total goals scored for Carpi this season. The return of defender Aljaz Struna is a bonus, as realistically the Biancorossi need a clean sheet to progress; their regular season goal ratio was less than a goal per game.

 

Carpi’s instant return to Serie A could be derailed by a wonderful debut season by Benevento, back to back promotions playing in both Serie B and Serie A for the first time in their 88 year history in the space of two years, a fairytale that on balance should be realised tonight.



Mark Neale