ARZIGNANO VALCHIAMPO v RENATE - STADIO TOMMASO DAL MOLIN - SERIE C - 28th MARCH 2025

Getting there

 With a need to hire a car to get to our Verona accommodation, the fixture gods kindly placed the only do able Friday night game in the nearby trainless town of  Arzignano,  mid table in Serie C, versus play off possibles Renate, home location nearby Milan.  The 50km drive  had us arriving 90 mins before the 8.30pm kick off and enough time to grab a pie and pint from the nearby Irish bar, Valley Beers Pub.  Worth a visit if you ever find yourself in the tidy little town of Arzignano whose team was only formed in 2011 following a merger between USD Chiampo and USD Arzignano. This union being reflected in their full name of  Arzignano Valchiampo.

Getting in.

Drumming up some support for the local team with pretty much nothing to play for, a special promotion has us paying almost as much for the ticket fee (1.50 Euro) as the ticket itself (2 Euro) via Vivaticket. It was difficult to see that the  promotion had much effect with what looked like a similar attendance to the season average 600. 

What its like.

The tidy town was matched by the tidy ground.  One covered main stand, an away uncovered temporary style section with surprisingly zero away fans in it given their teams place in the table, a running track and a section opposite the main stand which was tree lined in front of which was  a full pitch length section of high panel advertising.  It all looked very neat and well cared for.

The home team were pretty poor in the first half and deservedly went into half time 1-0 down following a lovely cross and header glanced towards the far post. That was soon followed by a second for Renate with a cool finish just inside the box and just in front of our seats. 

As is sometimes the case, it spurred the losing side into action and they enjoyed the majority of possession from there on in and although they got close, they probably left their urgency a little too late. With 60 mins on the clock  Arzignano pulled one back with a scrappy goal, they had a second penalty appeal turned down following a more blatant one in the first half, made some wrong choices when shooting was the better option and in the last second almost stole it when the home keeper hit the post from a corner. What a finish that would have been but it was a fair result.