Frosinone’s disappointment following their draw with Lecce is palpable, particularly for goalkeeper Michele Cerofolini, who initially saved a penalty only to see it retaken and deflected in off his back.
This match represented a crucial opportunity for Frosinone to distance themselves from the relegation zone, with just one point separating them and Lecce prior to this fixture. Frosinone, plagued by a series of injuries to key players including Riccardo Marchizza, Anthony Oyono, Kevin Bonifazi, and Sergio Kalaj, had endured a dismal run of form with four consecutive defeats. Conversely, Lecce welcomed back Marin Pongracic and Patrick Dorgu from suspension, but suffered from the absence of Kastriot Dermaku. Their recent form had seen them lose eight out of the last 10 matches, with their sole victory being a narrow 3-2 win over Fiorentina.
Frosinone encountered an early setback when Abdou Harroui sustained a thigh injury within the first 90 seconds, necessitating his substitution for Reinier. Despite creating chances, including Walid Cheddira’s curling effort and Michele Cerofolini’s save from Nikola Krstovic, Frosinone managed to take the lead just before halftime.
However, a defensive error by Nadir Zortea gifted Lecce an equalizing opportunity, resulting in Cerofolini conceding a penalty to Krstovic. Although Cerofolini initially saved the penalty, it was retaken due to encroachment, and on the second attempt, Krstovic struck the post before the ball deflected off Cerofolini’s shoulder and into the net.
Frosinone’s attempts to regain the lead were thwarted, with Francesco Gelli hitting the crossbar and Marco Brescianini having a goal disallowed for offside. Despite late chances, including a close-range effort from Kaio Jorge, Frosinone failed to find a winner, with Lecce goalkeeper Falcone making crucial saves to secure a draw.
Frosinone 1-1 Lecce