Monza's Birindelli Strike Secures Vital Win in Serie B Promotion Chase
Monza moved level on points with Serie B leaders Venezia after a 1-0 victory over Modena at the U-Power Stadium on Friday. The decisive moment came in the 27th minute when defender Lorenzo Birindelli scored with an acrobatic finish, his fifth goal of the season, to secure a third consecutive win for Raffaele Palladino's side. The result temporarily puts Monza on 75 points, three clear of third-placed Frosinone, though they remain second due to an inferior head-to-head record against Venezia.
Birindelli's early strike proved sufficient against a Modena side now without a win in a month. The visitors, managed by Andrea Sottil, offered little in response, with Monza goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio only seriously tested once in the second half to preserve the clean sheet. The defeat leaves Modena stuck in the playoff positions with 52 points, their automatic promotion hopes effectively extinguished.
In the day's other fixture, Avellino boosted their own playoff ambitions with a 2-0 home win against struggling Bari. Goals from Luca Besaggio in the 67th minute and Michele Palumbo in the 78th secured the victory for Davide Ballardini's team. The three points propel Avellino into the top eight, momentarily leapfrogging Cesena with 46 points.
For Bari, managed by Giovanni Longo, the defeat marks a third consecutive loss, leaving them perilously placed on 34 points in the relegation playout zone. They are now vulnerable to being caught by the cluster of teams just below them, including Pescara, Spezia, and Reggiana, who all sit on 33 points. The pressure intensifies on Bari with just a handful of games remaining in the season.
The focus of the Serie B weekend now shifts to Saturday's fixtures, where Venezia can secure promotion to Serie A with a victory over Empoli if Frosinone fails to win against Carrarese. Elsewhere, Palermo faces Reggiana, and Cesena meets Sampdoria in a crucial battle for playoff positioning. Monza's victory keeps them firmly in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot, applying maximum pressure on their rivals at the top of the table.
