Licata returns to Serie D: Montelepre overwhelmed, yellow-blue celebration erupts with three rounds to spare

By beating 3 - 0 the Licata, greatly supported by its fans, has mathematically achieved the goal of direct promotion to Serie D, with three matchdays to spare before the end of the regular season, leading to the inevitable impromptu (no one expected yesterday's defeat of Kamarat) celebration of its supporters at the end of the match.

The immediate return to the fourth tier after the bitter relegation of last season, beyond and above the values expressed by the coaching staff and the team, undoubtedly has the main protagonist in president Enrico Massimino who last summer, after processing the bitterness of the relegation cup, characterized by a long and fruitful silence, not only assured that he would not give up, but in front of the fans and the city, reiterated his commitment and attachment to the yellow and blue colors, assuring that he would continue to lead the club with a firm intention to bring Licata football back to the top.

And the first concrete step is the one recorded today, thanks to the victory achieved against Montelepre which, combined with the unexpected defeat suffered yesterday by Kamarat, second in the standings, has brought the lead to ten points which, with three matchdays remaining in the regular season, have certified the mathematical promotion to Serie D.

To achieve this, the highest representative of the club first entrusted the technical guidance of the team to Lillo Bonfatto, a young 42-year-old coach from Canicattì, who already has a promotion to Serie D under his belt while managing Canicattì, and experiences on the benches of Sciacca and Akragas, as well as Gorgonia of Delia, in the First Category, a team with which he won his first championship as a coach.

And after the coach, almost overturning the formation of the previous season, the team was reinforced with young talents of absolute value, but also with several elements of indisputable experience, such as Valenti, Privitera, Pettinato, Porcaro, Arario, Palmisano, who, in addition to knowing the category well, arrived at the mouth of the Salso with a rich baggage of victories.

All elements that allowed the team to best overcome the delayed start of the pre-season preparation, the handicap of having to play the first three home matches of the season away from Dino Liotta and without the support of their fans.

Not to mention, finally, the problems related to the intervention of sports justice, first for the San Vito Lo Capo case (for which we are still awaiting the final ruling from the Federal Prosecutor) and then for the appeals filed by Marsala and Bagheria, which have already been rejected and archived by the sports judge. As for the match, it must be said that it immediately followed the hoped-for course, as at the 2' of play, a handball by Musso, inside his own defensive area, led the referee to award the penalty kick converted by La Piana.

The other two goals of the day were scored by midfielder Palmisano (who reached his eighth goal of the season): the first at 30' of the second half, with a nice turn from the center of the area; the second at 43' of the second half, concluding an action initiated by Arario and finished with a close-range shot.

The scoreline

Licata - Montelepre 3 - 0

Licata: Valenti, Pettinato, Palmisano (45' s.t. Privitera), La Piana (31' s.t. Arario), Bennici (23' s.t. Merola), Porcaro, Viglianisi (23' s.t. Calaiò), Brugnone, Tedesco, Greco, Minacori (29' s.t. Micchi). Available: Mazzola, Massaro, Imbrogiano, Flores. Coach: Bonfatto.

Montelepre: Marino, Camara (42' s.t. Ippolito), Rizzo, Borgognone, Lopez, Musso, Tolomello (1' s.t. Salerno), Cerniglia, Martinez, Muratore (1' s.t. Bustos), Gambino. Available: Maggio, Picataggi, Calaio, Siino, Inzerillo. Coach: Mutolo.

Referee: Frigo from Parma.

Scorers: 3' p.t. La Piana (R), 30' and 43' s.t. Palmisano.