Foggia Secures 2-2 Draw Against Casarano Thanks to Late Goal
Luciani scores in stoppage time to salvage a valuable point for the visiting squad after a hard-fought match.
Foggia earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw on the road against Casarano, securing a valuable point thanks to a dramatic late header. The visiting squad displayed strong intensity and personality throughout the contest, ultimately rewarding manager Gaetano Auteri's call for consistency of results despite missing several key players.
The match began with a balanced rhythm before Foggia broke the deadlock in the 24th minute. Following a fluid team sequence involving Haoudi, Smeraldi, and Oviszach, substitute Del Sole provided an assist to Ravasio, who drove a low shot from the edge of the box into the back of the net. This marked Ravasio's sixth goal in his last seven appearances.
Casarano responded right before halftime. In the first minute of stoppage time, goalkeeper Saro made a brilliant save against a close-range effort from Ciotti, conceding a corner kick. From the resulting set piece delivered by Chiricò, Mercadante headed the ball past the Foggia defense to equalize, sending the teams into the locker rooms tied at 1-1.
The momentum shifted significantly early in the second half. In the 54th minute, Oviszach sent a through ball to Ravasio, who was brought down by Negro as the last defender. The referee immediately issued a red card, leaving Casarano to play with ten men for the remainder of the game.
With a man advantage, Foggia dominated possession and created several scoring opportunities. Oviszach fired a curling shot just wide in the 68th minute and later missed another close-range chance. Despite controlling the tempo, Foggia fell behind in the 84th minute when Ciotti unleashed a powerful right-footed strike from outside the area that beat Saro to make it 2-1 for the hosts.
Foggia refused to relent and finally equalized in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Following a corner kick taken by Haoudi, Luciani rose above the defense to head home the tying goal, sealing a dramatic and well-deserved draw for the visiting side.
After the final whistle, manager Gaetano Auteri praised his team's overall performance, personality, and aggressive attitude. However, the coach also pointed out defensive lapses that led to Casarano's goals, noting that his squad must improve its tactical awareness and spatial coverage during dead-ball situations.