Serie B 22/23: Südtirol 1-2 Venezia

As has been well documented, one of the storylines of last season was the failure to close out matches, as Venezia conceded a winning goal in the 85th minute or later a total of six times — including to direct rivals for Serie A survival Salernitana (once) and Spezia (twice) — which, in a vacuum, could be viewed as the difference between staying up and going down, as the winged lions were ultimately just four points shy of Salernitana for 17th place and league safety. Even if the full story is always more complex, the fate of Venezia’s first Serie A season in 19 years essentially came down to a few critical moments that needed just a bit more experience, confidence, and luck for things to go the other way.

With a new manger in Ivan Javorčić and a summer transfer campaign that shored up the defense with Finland international goalkeeper Jesse Joronen, veteran Italian full-back Francesco Zampano, and towering Polish center-back Przemysław Wiśniewski among others, Venezia were looking to turn the page. But after giving up two late winners in the first two competitive matches of the 2022/23 season — to Ascoli in the Round of 32 of the Coppa Italia and to Genoa in Matchday 1 of the Serie B campaign — the looming question was, is it happening again?

On Sunday night, Venezia flipped the script.

After going down against the run of play, Venezia would remain resolute and stage a late comeback to capture their first win of the new season, defeating hosts Südtirol by a 1-2 scoreline through Michaël Cuisance’s equalizer in the 80th minute and an own goal forced by Jack de Vries in the 95th minute.

Javorčić was making what he had described during the week as an “emotional” return to Stadio Druso in Bolzano, after leading Südtirol to their first-ever promotion to Serie B last season. Javorčić‘s former assistant Leandro Greco had since taken charge of the Biancorossi following Javorčić’s move to Venice, with the match being framed in the local press as a meeting of the master and the pupil.

With the benefit of the squad at large getting a full week of training for the first time since a recent Covid-19 outbreak, Javorčić would make just two changes to the team that faced Genoa last Sunday, starting Dennis Johnsen on the left wing and Domen Črnigoj on the right of midfield after the pair were influential as substitutes in Matchday 1.

In the first half, Venezia kept nearly 60% possession, but the play was relatively stagnant and they struggled create chances in a physical match with consistent fouling. The only shot on target for either side through the first 45 minutes would be a Tanner Tessmann header in the 16th minute, as the American made a late run into the box to meet Zampano’s cross from the right wing, but the effort was straight at the ‘keeper.

After the break, Venezia ramped up the pressure, and would ultimately outshoot Südtirol by 18 to 5, but not before the hosts made a surprise breakthrough.

In the 60th minute, Südtirol right winger Mirko Carretta beat Ridgeciano Haps to the byline and floated a perfect cross to the far post, with striker Raphael Odogwu arriving on the spot to head in from close range.

After an hour of sustained probing and possession, Venezia suddenly found themselves behind in the match, needing a direct response with enough craft and quality to unlock a stingy defense, in order to avoid kicking off a season full of ambition with two straight losses.

Fortunately, Venezia were loaded with talent available on the bench. Three minutes after the goal, Javorčić made a double substitution to bring on Finland international striker Joel Pohjanpalo and talented young Frenchman Michaël Cuisance, the former making his club debut after arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, the latter making his season debut after putting aside transfer talk and recommitting to the squad.

On his return, Cuisance traded last season’s number 21 for number 10, and he would provide the creative spark requisite of the shirt.

Cuisance set up Nicholas Pierini for a fierce drive on goal in the 75th minute. On the opposite wing, Johnsen nearly picked out the top corner on a curling shot to the far post in the 78th minute. Pierini and Johnsen soon made way for 22-year-old Ireland international and Brighton loanee Aaron Connolly and 20-year-old American attacker Jack de Vries who was making his league debut. Venezia’s pressure continued to mount until finally the dam broke.

In the 83rd minute, Pohjanpalo held up the ball for Cuisance to fire past the ‘keeper with his favored left foot and Venezia were back on level terms.

It was a particularly good moment for the 23-year-old Cuisance. After arriving from Bayern Munich in January, with his entire career experience in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, the prospect of playing Serie B was perhaps understandably unsettling, but, immediately upon deciding to remain at the club, his faith was rewarded with a big goal that could be a turning point for both player and team.

From there, Venezia weren’t satisfied with a point, and, as they pressed on, stoppage time demons were exorcised when de Vries drove a cross into the box from the left side and Südtirol defender Marco Curto directed his clearing attempt into his own net in the 95th minute. It was a lucky bounce too rarely seen over the last year, but a good example of making your own luck. With that, Venezia completed their comeback and took all three points in a well earned 1-2 win.

Looking to generate some early season momentum now, Venezia will make the short trip for a derby with Cittadella on Sunday 28 August in Giornata 3 of the 2022/23 Serie B season.

Südtirol 1-2 Venezia

Scorers: 60' Odogwu, 83' Cuisance, 95' (OG) Curto

Südtirol (4-3-3): Poluzzi, De Col, Vinetot,Curto, D’Orazio (77’ Berra),Tait (40’ Belardinelli),Pompetti, Nicolussi Caviglia, Carretta (66’ Davì), Odogwu (66’ Mazzocchi), Rover
Subs not used: Barison, Iacobucci, Capone, Casiraghi,Voltan, Zaro, Kofler, Harrasser
Manager: L. Greco

Venezia (4-3-3): Joronen, Zampano, Wiśniewski, Ceccaroni, Haps, Črnigoj, Busio (63’ Cuisance), Tessmann, Pierini (Connolly 78’), Novakovich (63’ Pohjanpalo), Johnsen (78’ de Vries)
Subs not used: Mäenpää, Bertinato, Modolo, Svoboda, Zabala, St Clair, Andersen, Leal
Manager: Ivan Javorčić