South Tyrol kept their unbeaten start to the Serie B campaign intact with a 2:0 victory over Catanzaro at the Stadio Druso on Saturday. The result leaves the hosts in second place on seven points after three games, while the visitors remain bottom of the table with zero points from their opening three fixtures. The two sides met earlier this month in a 2:2 draw, but this time the home side made the difference when it mattered.
Rares Burnete broke the deadlock in the 86th minute, finishing what had been a patient build-up from the hosts. Catanzaro had controlled much of the ball but struggled to turn possession into clear-cut opportunities. The goal came after a spell where South Tyrol pinned the visitors back, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Kenny Meddy Mixtur doubled the advantage two minutes later, slotting home after a defensive lapse. He picked up a yellow card shortly after, a reminder of how tightly contested the encounter had become. The visitors had created one big chance throughout the match but failed to convert, a pattern that would define their evening.
The statistics tell the story of a game where the numbers did not reflect the final score. Catanzaro enjoyed 56 per cent possession and launched 100 attacks, yet managed just two shots on target with a mere 17 per cent accuracy. South Tyrol, with 44 per cent possession and 70 attacks, landed four shots on target and converted them when necessary.
South Tyrol's defensive discipline was evident in their 25 clearances and 11 successful tackles. They kept their shape well, particularly when Catanzaro pushed forward in search of an equaliser. The visitors' 19 crosses yielded only three successful ones, while the hosts' seven crosses produced just one.
The result extends South Tyrol's unbeaten run to three matches, having drawn with Benevento before beating Virtus Entella and drawing with Catanzaro themselves. For the visitors, it is now three defeats from three, with losses to Pisa, Vicenza and now the hosts. The gap between the two sides in the table has never been wider.
