Verona edge relegated Salernitana to secure Serie A survival before final day
Verona started this round of games just two points above the relegation zone after letting a 1-0 lead slip in their last game against Torino.
However, the Gialloblu seemed dead set on preventing a repeat, as they dominated the game’s early stages and created a few shooting opportunities. The best of those was a free kick after 15 minutes that Tomas Suslov fired goalwards, only for Vincenzo Fiorillo to get down well and palm it away.
Despite Salernitana having their fate of playing in Italy’s second tier next season already sealed, they were looking to avoid claiming the unwanted record of being Serie A’s worst-ever side - currently held by Chievo in 2018/19. But any hopes of surpassing that tally today seemed unlikely when they fell behind after 22 minutes.
Not deterred by the earlier save, Suslov received the ball on the edge of the area before bending a beautiful left-footed shot into the bottom-left corner.
Things got even worse for the hosts on the brink of half-time too, when Darko Lazovic squared the ball to Michael Folorunsho, who was on hand to place the ball home inside the six-yard box.
And far from producing a change in momentum, the start of the second half went the same way as the first, with Verona largely dictating play. Tijjani Noslin sent two great opportunities begging after he received the ball in the box and scuffed wide of the left post.
Still hoping to stamp his name onto the scoresheet, the Dutchman then got on the end of a cross from Lazovic, only for his close-range header to be fantastically saved by Fiorillo.
Marco Baroni’s side almost added a third as the game entered the final 10 minutes when Folorunsho tried his luck from distance with a low drilled effort across goal, but the Italian saw his shot rattle the foot of the right-hand post.
Despite Salernitana pulling a goal back in the 90th minute when Giulio Maggiore slotted home from a fortuitous deflection, Verona ultimately saw out the game from then on with relative ease, claiming just a third away victory of the season to secure their place amongst the elite.
Meanwhile, Salernitana will end the 2023/24 campaign with just a solitary league win at home - and on this evidence, their finale (away to AC Milan) will almost certainly be a painful one.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Tomas Suslov (Verona)