Brescia and Ascoli played out a tense 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Serie C playoff final on Tuesday, leaving the tie delicately balanced ahead of Sunday's decisive return fixture. The match, which was suspended for over 24 hours due to heavy rain, saw Ascoli take an early lead only for Brescia to hit back immediately, with both sides then failing to find a winner in a cagey restart. However, the major talking point emerged in the closing minutes as Ascoli defender Alessandro Mercati picked up a yellow card that rules him out of the second leg through suspension.
Originally scheduled for Monday evening, the contest at the Rigamonti Stadium was halted after 61 minutes when a torrential downpour made the pitch unplayable. Officials made the decision to suspend play and resume the following day, with the remaining 29 minutes completed on Tuesday. The unusual interruption disrupted the flow of a match that had started at a furious pace.
Ascoli drew first blood in the eighth minute. A swift attacking move ended with Andrea Rizzo Pinna tapping in from close range, scoring his first goal of the playoffs. The away side's joy was short-lived, however, as Brescia responded within four minutes. Valerio Crespi, the on-loan Avellino striker, continued his red-hot form by firing home the equalizer. It was Crespi’s third consecutive playoff match in which he has scored, following a brace against Salernitana in the previous round, and his fourth goal overall in the post-season.
When play finally resumed on Tuesday, the conditions had improved but the tension remained. With so much at stake, neither side wanted to commit numbers forward, and clear chances were scarce. Both teams appeared wary of making a mistake that could prove costly, settling for the draw and shifting focus to the second leg.
The one moment of note in the final half-hour came when Ascoli’s Alessandro Mercati was shown a yellow card in the 84th minute. The booking means the defender, who was already on a yellow card from a previous round, will be suspended for the return leg. Mercati has been a key figure in Ascoli’s defence during their playoff run, and his absence could be a significant blow for Francesco Tomei’s side as they attempt to hold off Brescia on home turf.
Ascoli now face a major defensive reshuffle. Mercati’s experience and composure at the back will be sorely missed in a match where the hosts must avoid conceding a goal that could tilt the tie in Brescia’s favour. Tomei will need to find a reliable replacement, potentially disrupting a backline that had been relatively settled throughout the playoffs.
For Brescia, the 1-1 draw represents a decent result, even if they might have hoped for more after Crespi’s leveller. Eugenio Corini’s side know that an away goal score draw would not automatically see them promoted, as the away goals rule is not in effect in the Serie C playoffs – meaning the scoreline is effectively wiped clean for the return. Both teams start from zero on Sunday, but Brescia will take heart from their ability to respond quickly after going behind and from Crespi’s prolific form.
The stakes are immense for both clubs. Brescia are aiming to return to Serie B just one year after the financial collapse that saw the club relegated to the amateur ranks and forced to restart. A promotion would cap a remarkable recovery story. Ascoli, meanwhile, last played in the second tier in the 2023/24 season, when they finished third from bottom and were relegated. They have been rebuilding since and see this final as a chance to reclaim their status.
The return leg is scheduled for Sunday, June 7, with kick-off at 18:00 local time at the Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca in Ascoli. The winner over 90 minutes – or after extra time and penalties if necessary – will secure the fourth and final promotion spot to Serie B, joining Vicenza, Arezzo, and Benevento who have already gone up.
With Mercati ruled out, Ascoli may need to adopt a more cautious approach or risk exposing their defence. Brescia, buoyed by Crespi’s scoring streak, will sense vulnerability. The tie is perfectly poised, and the sold-out Del Duca will provide a cauldron of noise. One moment of brilliance or a single mistake could decide it all.
Based on reporting from Tuttosport.