Bologna edge Cremonese in tense Serie A clash to climb table
Bologna secured a tense 2-1 away victory over Cremonese at the Stadio Giovanni Zini on Saturday, a result that lifts Vincenzo Italiano's side to eighth in the Serie A standings. Goals from Joao Mario and English winger Morgan Rogers, known as Rowe in the match report, inside the opening 16 minutes set the foundation, with Federico Bonazzoli's late penalty for the hosts setting up a frantic finale that included red cards for both sides.
The victory sees Bologna leapfrog Lazio in the table, a timely boost ahead of their Europa Conference League semi-final first leg against Aston Villa on Thursday. For Davide Giampaolo's Cremonese, the late rally proved insufficient as they remain deep in relegation trouble, having woken up too late to alter the match's destiny despite a dramatic end.
Bologna's fast start was orchestrated by the lively Juan Miranda on the left. His work created the opener after just three minutes, with his cross-field pass finding a completely unmarked Joao Mario, who finished with a volley that took a deflection past goalkeeper Emil Audero. The Portuguese wing-back's early strike set the tone for a first half of near-total Bologna dominance. The second goal arrived in the 16th minute, with Miranda again the provider, slipping a pass into the area for Morgan Rogers to fire home left-footed for his sixth goal of the campaign across all competitions.
Cremonese, revitalised under Giampaolo after a recent win over Parma, offered little in response for much of the contest, with their first genuine chance not arriving until the 24th minute. Bologna, pressing high and controlling midfield through Remo Freuler and Nikola Moro, looked comfortable, with Moro even hitting the crossbar with a free-kick before halftime. The home side's changes at the break, introducing Morten Thorsby, David Okereke, and Yann Karamoh, known as Bondo in the report, eventually sparked life into their performance.
The momentum shifted in the final stages. Goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia, who had made good saves from Bonazzoli and Matias Payero, conceded a penalty in the 90th minute with a rash challenge on substitute Daniel Boloca, referred to as Floriani. Bonazzoli converted coolly from the spot. The drama escalated in stoppage time as Cremonese's Amir Maleh was shown a second yellow card for striking Nahuel Zortea, only for Bologna's Lewis Ferguson to be sent off moments later for a separate incident, receiving two quick yellow cards. The match ended in a fractious 10-versus-10 stalemate, with Bologna holding on for the three points.
The result underscores Bologna's resilience and their strong away form this season, which now amounts to 25 points collected on the road. For Italiano, it provides ideal preparation for the European challenge against Aston Villa, with key players like Rogers and the inventive Federico Bernardeschi finding form. Cremonese's plight, however, grows more desperate. The late fightback showed spirit but failing to capitalise on their numerical advantage at the death leaves them facing a monumental battle for survival, with a tough away fixture at Cagliari next on the schedule.
