Rigori
I painfully learnt three new words last night.
When I say painfully, I am being – of course – overly dramatic. But then that is what sport, particularly football, can do to a person. Don’t study at RADA for however many years it takes to become an acceptable actor – simply put your all in to a season of watching a particular football team. Then you’ll know how to act:
“Three Points, Three points; my kingdom that is my 3 bed semi – for three points.”
The three new words learnt were:
Rigori – Penalty
Rete - Goal
Para – Save
Unfortunately this new found enlightenment came about because of a penalty shootout at the end of Pro Vercelli’s Coppa Italia Lega Pro match against Tritium.
After going one-nil up after just two minutes, Pro Vercelli conceded in the dying minutes of the first half. Another 75 minutes of football could not separate the sides – and so to spot kicks the game went. I was close to sending an unfortunate, overly celebratory tweet after Pro’s reserve keeper, Marcos Miranda, saved Tritium’s fourth penalty.
Thankfully I didn’t. A delay in the text feed would have left me looking pretty stupid – as Alessandro Ranellucci and Davide Nocciola missed theirs. Had Ranellucci converted, Pro would be in the next round. Unfortunately the two misses were matched with two successes from Tritium, and Pro went out on penalties.
Pro Vercelli put out 11 different names to the side that faced league leaders Ternana on Sunday. Clearly Mister Braghin showed as much respect to this competition as a great number of English managers do to their lower league cup competitions. He no doubt sited the league as being his number one priority. Which it should be, it’s just a shame for the fans that saw their side lose.
Unfortunately the plan to leave a number of players out backfired, as injuries to the reserve stock meant a couple of first team regulars also picked up knocks when they were forced to come on. As Mister Braghin said in relation to the final missed penalty: il calcio è beffardo – football is mocking.
He now has to face a much fancied Sorrento side with two players missing because of suspensions picked up in the last game, and a list of injuries (L’infermeria è piena – the hospital is full) that will test the depth of such a young side.
If football is mocking, it is fast looking as though Dicembre (December) also has an unpleasant sneer upon its face.
Forza Pro
Image: Marcos Miranda, the on loan Fiorentina keeper who saved a penalty in last night’s shootout
