Spezia in deeper trouble after loss to Monza; Lecce wins
Monza's Patrick Ciurria, right, scores their side's first goal of the game during the Serie A soccer match between Spezia and Monza at the Alberto Picco stadium in La Spezia, Italy, Friday, April 28, 2023. Credit: AP/Tano Pecoraro
MILAN — Spezia could find itself in the Serie A bottom three at the end of the weekend after losing at home to Monza 2-0 on Friday.
Former Spezia forward Patrick Ciurria scored in the 21st minute and Carlos Augusto sealed the result in stoppage time.
Spezia remained a point above 18th-placed Hellas Verona, which visits fellow struggler Cremonese on Sunday.
Spezia had won just one of its previous 15 matches in all competitions, although it had drawn four of its past five.
Halfway through the first period, Ciurria cut inside from the right and fired into the bottom left corner from 20 yards. Ciurria started his career at Spezia and didn’t celebrate against his former club, waving his arms in apology to the silent crowd.
Spezia squandered good opportunities before clinical Monza secured the win deep in stoppages with a swift counterattack. Carlos Augusto raced onto a José Machín throughball and lifted it past the onrushing Bartłomiej Drągowski.
INCHING AWAY
Monza's players celebrate Patrick Ciurria's goal during the Serie A soccer match between Spezia and Monza at the Alberto Picco stadium in La Spezia, Italy, Friday, April 28, 2023. Credit: AP/Tano Pecoraro
Lecce got back to winning ways by 1-0 over Udinese to inch five points clear of the relegation zone.
A Gabriel Strefezza penalty was enough to hand Lecce its second win in 11 matches. It had lost seven of the previous eight.
The referee initially waved away furious Lecce calls for a penalty for a lunge by Udinese defender Destiny Udogie on Valentin Gendrey but reversed his decision after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor and Strefazza converted.
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