Catanzaro chaos

It was always my wish to head back to Catanzaro from the first minute I stepped out in its streets last year. Being at the first home match in Serie B for 18 years was a privilege beyond words and something that landed in my world courtesy of some farcical nonsense about the Cervolo floodlights, meaning the first home game had to be played a considerable distance away in Lecce. Only a mere handful made that journey.

I got caught out last August for the evening game versus Spezia, as att the going down of the sun, I didn’t so much as remember them, but as a viscious wind whipped up, my football shirt and shorts attire was suitably insufficient for the temperature drop. What was a cracking match became tempered by the cold.

For my much anticipated return, with rain in the forecast, I went sensibly dressed back to the Ceravolo with jumper on and small umbrella in tow, just in case. Dear goodness, if anyone was outside Hampden as the game kicked off v Georgia last June, you will understand the ferocity of the rain. That game had to be suspended due to pitch surface water, and similar happened here, with everybody in the Curva and Distinti completely soaked. We all headed for an overhang, a canopy, anything behind the stand, just to stop any more water hitting us. The brolly had largely been useless. Everything was soaked through, the umbrella just couldn’t cope.

Lo and behold had I not just made it down behind the stand when it stopped, and almost immediately, the sun came out. A chance to start the drying process. Also by virtue, the suspension had a chance of avoiding a postponement, and after two checks by the referee, with the clock maybe just shy of an hour on, the players were out, and we started again from minute 23. It had been a rip roaring 1-1 when it stopped. 

Before the storm, Catanzaro had started out like a team possessed, getting torn straight into their higher placed visitors, whose need for the points was perhaps more urgent. Before they knew what had hit them, a fabulous set of passes that started from the back, ended with a pinpoint accurate knock forward that was powerful headed, and specularly guided away from the keeper and into the Venetian net. We had a Ceravolo lift off.

Venezia showed why they have been vying for the automatic promotion slots all season, and they knuckled down, finding an equaliser less than ten minutes later. It had started raining before the first goal, gently at first, then the heavens opened. Within less than ten minutes, the fabulous pitch had become unplayable.

After the lengthy hiatus, Venezia came out more determined, coupled with Catanzaro seemingly having lost their mojo. The vistors thought they had taken the lead in the remaining period of the first half, but it was chalked off by VAR for offside. It was at the far end, so it was difficult to see, but a malaise in the defence had been exposed. Catanzaro got away with one, and it proved to be a catalyst to shaking them from a slumber. Thereafter, until the delayed break, Catanzaro forced a few corners and had one or two near things. The sun was shining, and everyone was enjoying this engrossing spectacle whilst drying out a little.

It was a much shorter half-time than normal, no more than 10 minutes. The referee was curiously the same one as for the Spezia game in August, and together with his assistants, they were all staying in my hotel. They breakfasted at the table next to me with one of them fretting that a near 5 finish would be tight for a 7pm flight from Lamezia Terme, 33 kilometres away. If only he knew as he scoffed his morning croissant, what was about to ruin any chance of that connection

Anyway, just after half time, Venezia forced two terrific saves, but on the third calling, they took the lead. Catanzaro, who are having an amazing season, never give up and they whacked a post, then the faintest of touches from a free kick, and it was 2-2. Venezia had minutes before gone down to ten men for a second yellow, which looked harsh, but worse was to come for the Venetians. First, though, an offside flag cancelled the soggy but jubilant home celebrations, when Catanzaro thought they had pulled level, but it was rightly, if sadly in this case, correct.

The rain had come back on, it brought with it this time the joy of thunder and lightning, but the sky remained less leaden, and while not nearly as storm driven, it was re-sogging the soggy! 

Three minutes were added on, and Catanzaro kept pushing. After some swift and dazzling passes, the last of which was trapped beautifully inside the box, just as he was about to shoot, down he went, ankles tickled. Penalty to Catanzaro! Star man Iemmello missed, well saved by the keeper in reality, low down to his right, but wait, VAR suggested the keeper had moved early! I had shot a video, and reveiwing my own handy work with a soaked fan looking on too, while he had moved, many would have got away with it. However, the decision was for it to be taken again, and even though it was barely a better effort, this time going to the opposite side, the keeper still got solid hands to it, but his brave effort couldn’t keep it out, and Catanzaro went berserk as only a passionate southern Italian fanbase can. No further action took place, as the whistle went at around 17,45, immediately after the successful penalty conversion. We had started at 3pm start.

I doubt the one linesman even tried for the airport. What an utterly mad, captivating, and total bonkers match, just what we want from a game of football! It was without question the craziest of my 130+ games of calcio. I grew interested in Catanzaro during the pandemic, and that admiration continues a pace.

Thankfully, my hotel was just 10 minutes down the,  slopes, and I ran straight into a hot shower when I got back. I had once been badly soaked at Tynecastle as Inverness won a Scottish Cup tie there, and that required a taxi before a hot shower. That was February, but you don’t expect such biblical downpours in May, but it is becoming more commonplace. Having been frozen, now soaked, what will Catanzaro throw at me next time around?

Catanzaro is an amazing city, so far off the coast and seriously hilly, but a gem. It isn’t the easiest place to get too, but it won’t put me off, I will be back, and might they be in A?! With spirit, craft, and guile,this is a new and exciting, fearless Catanzaro. Anything can, and probably will happen going forward.