Finished 2-1 against, Venezia finishing 3rd and in the promotion playoff. Busio and Tessmann both played the full match. Spezia were motivated to avoid relegation, and I suppose our guys might have decided that the playoff could provide some beneficial extra match practice.
Busio, Tessmann, and Lund all start the first leg of the promotion semifinal. First leg in Palermo. Lund playing LWB as you'd expect. Tessmann and Busio playing in the midfield as you'd expect, while Tessmann appears to be in a double pivot and Busio more advanced at first glance.
Halftime and scoreless. Not a lot of standout plays or performances from the parts that I saw. Big 45 minutes coming up, though.
Tessmann with a very nice chipped diagonal to Bjarkason, who plays a clever ball into the path of Pierini at the top of the box, but the defense collapses on Pierini well to protect against the shot and deflect it wide. Close to a nice hockey assist.
After a turnover by Sverko, Tessmann shows more speed than usual with a chasedown block of a shot in the box to surrender just a corner.
Pierini golazo to put Venezia up 1-0. Given too much space and time and blasts home lefty from just outside the box. Busio involved early in the passing. After they made a substitution, Busio has been dropping back farther in the buildout - don't know if that was coincidence for now or a coach-driven plan to move him into the double pivot.
Busio poor touch leads to a midfield turnover and he intentionally takes a yellow to prevent a counter, grabbing a fistful of pink jersey.
Venezia use their last sub window to replace a cramping defender and bring on a fresh striker, so Busio and Tessmann are going the distance. 86th minute now.
Tessmann got free into the box but his attempted final pass square ball is knocked out for a corner. He took too long of a touch first, could have done better.
Busio attempts a hero 35 yard shot, goes wide. Next play, Busio clears out of the defensive box at a dangerous moment. He is gassed.
Tessmann got behind the D and fed Dembele for what briefly appeared to be an assist, but Tessmann was offside before receiving the ball. Two minutes of stoppage remaining.
Full time. Nice 1-0 win and good but not starring performance by Busio and Tessmann. Hopefully Lund's injury is nothing and he can play the return leg.
Venezia starting Busio and Tessmann in the second leg of this promotion semifinal vs Palermo. Venezia won the first leg 1-0. Lund got hurt in that match but is on the bench today.
GOLAZO TESSMANN! 1-0 / 2-0 aggregate. Busio hockey assist with a headed pass to Pierini, who lays off to an open Tessmann 25 yards from goal. Tessmann takes a couple of touches and gets his whole force behind one toward the far post, knuckling as it went.
Busio with an overhead kick pass under pressure out to the left wing, that I think he intended. Almost a hockey assist but the shot was deflected over the top.
Excellent reaction save of Busio's header from about nine yards out - bummer. Hit the header well - could easily have gone in.
Palermo's scouting of Tessmann ... sucked. They just let him stand on the ball for ten seconds, even though two defenders could have added token pressure, so he played a perfect sixty yard ball up the left sideline to his winger, skipping the whole buildup process.
Tessmann gets a yellow for a foul that was very unclear on the live viewing and they showed a replay of something else.
Halftime. Three goal aggregate advantage with 45 to play. Tempting to pull Tessmann, with that yellow, at some point, and Busio frequently comes out before 90 minutes. Busio played better as the half went on, and his passing has been solid. The Tessmann golazo is the signature moment of the two legs so far.