Serie B paid tribute to the victims of Friday evening's Paris shootings with a poignant rendition of 'La Marseillaise' pre-match as Livorno were held at home by an obdurate Vicenza side in their quest for a play-off berth.

Riccardo Cazzola struck the hosts' opener eight minutes after the interval but the forward's endeavour was swiftly nullified when Filip Raicevic and Salvatore D'Elia propelled the away side into an unlikely lead ten minutes later. Daniele Vantaggiato levelled on 72 minutes but, despite Raicevic's late dismissal, Christian Panucci will be left to rue his side's first-half profiligacy.

A conservative opening

To honour the victims of the Paris attacks on Friday evening, La Marseillaise was bellowed out inside the fabled Stadio Armando Picchi ahead of kick-off and each Serie B fixture will follow suit this weekend.

Cagey, though, best described the opening exchanges as the hosts look prepared to relinquish possession to Vicenza, currently occupying eighth heading into this afternoon, and strike on the counter.

And it was the hosts who appeared more menacing as the game crept towards the 20th minute mark. Francesco Fedato shimmied inside on 23 minutes and unleashed a raising effort towards Mauro Vigorito’s goal, but his effort lacked the requisite accuracy.

Livorno, though, were profligate in possession while Federico Ceccherini, for his myriad defensive virtues, was guilty of the frequent wayward pass in defence.

The away side did summon an attempt on goal when Stefano Giacomelli rose highest from Salvatore D’Elia’s delivery but he could not divert his header on target.

Laverne then latched onto an errant pass from the hosts and drove towards goal. But, despite Livorno’s apparent reluctance to close the angle for the midfielder, he blazed his effort miles over the crossbar.

Incision had been conspicuously absent for both sides when they had entered the final-third and Vicenza, in particular, appeared flustered inside the danger area.

Andrej Modic then prompted fingertips from Juventus loanee Carlo Pinsoglio from an expertly drilled free-kick as half-time rapidly approached.

The hosts’ thought they had edged infront when Fedato steered Andrea Schiavone’s free-kick past Vigorito, but the linesman was swift to curtail the home side’s jubilation as Fedato stood in an offside position.

No-one has been left untouched by Friday's terror attack.
No-one has been left untouched by Friday's terror attack.

Contest brightens up

But Livorno’s euphoria was authentic when Riccardo Cazzola met Jelenic’s beautiful lofted cross with conviction to power his header past the Vicenza No.1.

Giacomelli, though, had been a thorn in the hosts’ rearguard throughout the afternoon and it was the 25-year-old who manufactured an equaliser minutes later, racing to the byline and dinking his cross into Raicevic who guided his effort into the roof of the net for the fifth time this season.

Vicenza, who could move level on points with Livorno with victory here, were buoyed by their leveller and Giacomelli — again, it must be stressed — almost fashioned a second on the hour mark. But he was impeccably foiled by the hosts’ backline.

The game began to unravel as Fedato found himself with the freedom of the city at the far stick but, instead of steadying himself for an effort, he chose the acrobatic route and was forced to watch his strike trickle past the far post.

He would be left to rue his panache when Vicenza completed the comeback through D’Elia, with the midfielder providing the fitting denouement to a crisp attacking move from the visitors by lashing his effort beyond Pinsoglio to send the away faction packed behind the goal into raptures.

Christian Panucci would only have to wait seven minutes for his side to construct a leveller as Daniele Vantaggiato slammed home on 72 minutes. After Vicenza failed to clear their lines from an innocuous corner, the former Parma forward profited from the deftest of flicks from Vergara to rocket an impromptu first-time strike through the legs of the Vicenza No.1.

The hosts’ were granted the initiative when goalscorer Raicevic was dismissed for a hare-brained elbow with 15 minutes to play.

Darkness began to descend as the contest entered its autumn as Livorno, despite wielding a numerical advantage for the concluding quarter of an hour, were forced to settle for a point.

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About the author
Craig Vickers
Milk, honey and Andy Murray. Email: craigvickers1998[at]outlook.com