Serie B: Venezia defeat Parma to cut Ducali lead, Cosenza enter promotion hunt
Parma have had their lead at the top of the Serie B table cut to one point on Matchday 9, losing for the first time in the 2023/24 season and also suffering a defeat to a direct rival for promotion.
Although the Ducali remain in first place on 20 points, they lost 3-2 to Venezia, who are equal third with Catanzaro on 18. Palermo benefitted greatly from that result, sitting in second place on 19 points after winning 2-0 away to Modena.
Meanwhile, Cosenza are rising up the table and they are now equal fifth with Como after their victory against Lecco. After surviving relegation through the playoffs in 2022/23, the Lupi are suddenly looking at potential promotion to Serie A instead of worrying about dropping down to Serie B.
Pohjanpalo plays inspirational role for Venezia
Parma faced Venezia at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo on Saturday afternoon and it was expected to be an exciting match between two teams near the summit. After a first half with limited chances, both teams put on a show after the break.
Arancioneroverdi forward Joel Pohjanpalo supplied his first assist of the match when Gianluca Busio ran onto his pass and opened the scoring in the first minute of the second half. Adrian Benedyczak equalised from the penalty spot for the Crociati in the 54th minute, but Tanner Tessmann regained the lead for the Venetians eight minutes later.
Pohjanpalo provided his second assist of the game when he spotted Mikael Ellertsson making a late run into the box and the Icelandic midfielder finished from close range. Antonio Colak pulled one back in injury time, but it was too little, too late for Parma.
Forte gives Cosenza great strength against Lecco
It has been an uneasy return to Serie B for Cosenza since returning in 2018/19, regularly fighting relegation and surviving the drop in the last two seasons through the play-out. The Lupi defeated Vicenza in 2022, and Brescia this year, but the Rondinelle were reinstated after Reggina went bankrupt.
The Calabrian side are playing with a swagger that has not been seen from them in previous seasons, and coach Fabio Caserta has turned them into a confident attacking unit. Their latest result was a 3-0 victory against Lecco with striker Francesco Forte scoring twice and Manuel Marras adding the other.
Forte opened the scoring after four minutes with a powerful strike from about 25 metres and Marras doubled the lead with a stupendous scissor kick in the 25th minute. Forte sealed the win five minutes into the second half with an effort that was from a further distance than his first.
Cosenza now sit equal fifth with Como on 14 points, and the Calabrian club have not finished higher than fifth, which was back in 1991/92. Could the Silani create a serious promotion push and reach Serie A for the first time ever?
Serie B 2023/24: Matchday 9 results
| Date | Fixtures/Results |
| Fri, Oct 6 | Brescia 1-1 Feralpisalo |
| Sat, Oct 7 | Cosenza 3-0 Lecco |
| Sat, Oct 7 | Modena 0-2 Palermo |
| Sat, Oct 7 | Reggiana 1-1 Bari |
| Sat, Oct 7 | Sudtirol 0-1 Catanzaro |
| Sat, Oct 7 | Ascoli 1-1 Sampdoria |
| Sat, Oct 7 | Cittadella 2-2 Ternana |
| Sat, Oct 7 | Venezia 3-2 Parma |
| Sun, Oct 8 | Como 1-3 Cremonese |
| Sun, Oct 8 | Spezia 0-0 Pisa |
Serie B 2023/24: Table after Matchday 9
| Pos | Club | MP | Pts |
| 1 | Parma | 9 | 20 |
| 2 | Palermo | 8 | 19 |
| 3 | Venezia | 9 | 18 |
| 4 | Catanzaro | 9 | 18 |
| 5 | Cosenza | 9 | 14 |
| 6 | Como | 8 | 14 |
| 7 | Cremonese | 9 | 13 |
| 8 | Cittadella | 9 | 13 |
| 9 | Modena | 8 | 12 |
| 10 | Brescia | 6 | 10 |
| 11 | Sudtirol | 8 | 10 |
| 12 | Bari | 9 | 10 |
| 13 | Pisa | 8 | 9 |
| 14 | Ascoli | 9 | 9 |
| 15 | Reggiana | 9 | 8 |
| 16 | Spezia | 8 | 6 |
| 17 | Ternana | 9 | 6 |
| 18 | Feraplisalo | 9 | 5 |
| 19 | Sampdoria | 9 | 4 |
| 20 | Lecco | 6 | 1 |