Comical own goal earns Verona 1-0 win at bottom club Monza in Serie A
Comical own goal earns Verona 1-0 win at bottom club Monza in Serie A
AC Monza’s Tomás Palacios, right, during the Serie A soccer match between Monza and Hellas Verona, at the U-Power Stadium in Monza, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Studio Buzzi/LaPresse via AP)
Udinese’s Lorenzo Lucca celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
Venezia’s Kike Perez celebrates after scoring celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
Udinese’s Florian Thauvin, left, and Venezia’s Gianluca Busio vie for the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
AC Monza’s Tomás Palacios, right, during the Serie A soccer match between Monza and Hellas Verona, at the U-Power Stadium in Monza, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Studio Buzzi/LaPresse via AP)
AC Monza’s Tomás Palacios, right, during the Serie A soccer match between Monza and Hellas Verona, at the U-Power Stadium in Monza, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Studio Buzzi/LaPresse via AP)
Udinese’s Lorenzo Lucca celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
Udinese’s Lorenzo Lucca celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
Venezia’s Kike Perez celebrates after scoring celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
Venezia’s Kike Perez celebrates after scoring celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
Udinese’s Florian Thauvin, left, and Venezia’s Gianluca Busio vie for the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
Udinese’s Florian Thauvin, left, and Venezia’s Gianluca Busio vie for the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Venezia at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)
MILAN (AP) — A comical own goal saw Hellas Verona earn a crucial victory at bottom-club Monza in a Serie A relegation battle Saturday.
Suat Serdar raced into the right side of the area in the 13th minute but there seemed to be little danger when he rolled the ball across as Monza defender Stefan Leković had plenty of time and space to control or clear, but the youngster instead shinned it into the empty net.
Verona’s first win of 2025 lifted the club three points above the relegation zone. Monza was eight points below safety.
One of Monza’s brightest players, Daniel Maldini, completed his move to Atalanta shortly before kickoff. His new club was third and looking to trim the gap to the top two in Serie A when it hosts Torino later.
Udinese survived a scare as it threw away a two-goal lead before Iker Bravo fired in the winner six minutes from time to snatch a 3-2 victory over Venezia and end a run of five matches without a win.
Venezia was five points from safety.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer