LECCE, Italy (Interstat) — Catanzaro salvaged a 1-1 draw against a resilient Ternana side with a dramatic 89th-minute equalizer from midfielder Jari Vandeputte in a Serie B match Sunday at Stadio Comunale Via del Mare.

The result, coming in the second week of the Italian second division season, saw the home side Catanzaro drop points against a Ternana team that has struggled for form. The visitors, however, showcased significant defensive grit to nearly secure an upset victory against a club with far superior standings in the competition.

Catanzaro, which entered the match with 13 wins in Serie B play this season, controlled possession for large stretches but found breaking down Ternana’s defense a persistent challenge. The home side struck first in the 10th minute. Attacker Tommaso Biasci, a native of San Giuliano Terme, Italy, finished an early chance to give Catanzaro the lead. Biasci was substituted in the 79th minute.

Ternana, which now holds a record of zero wins, one loss and one draw in Serie B this season, found its response just before halftime. In the 45th minute, defender Valerio Mantovani of Roma provided the assist for striker Antonio Raimondo, who leveled the score. The 6-foot Raimondo was substituted in the 76th minute.

The second half saw increased tension, with yellow cards issued to Ternana’s Gregorio Luperini in the 53rd minute and Catanzaro’s Mario Šitum just a minute later. As the match entered its final moments, Ternana appeared poised to claim all three points and secure its first league win.

The decisive moment came with just one minute remaining in regulation. Vandeputte, a midfielder from Gent, Belgium, who played the full 90 minutes, found the net to secure a point for Catanzaro and deny Ternana. A final yellow card was shown to Ternana’s Frederik Hillersborg Sørensen in second-half stoppage time.

The draw extends Catanzaro’s unbeaten run in the league to multiple matches, though it will be viewed as two points dropped given the club’s position. The team’s overall record across all competitions now stands at 13 wins, five losses and nine draws.

For Ternana, the point represents a hard-earned positive result amid a difficult stretch. The club’s overall record moved to six wins, eight losses and six draws. The performance, particularly in defense, provided a marked improvement following recent outings.

The match outcome defied pregame projections. Interstat’s game simulator had predicted a 2-1 victory for Catanzaro, and its ELO rating system gave the home side a 90.4 percent probability of winning.

Catanzaro will look to return to winning form in its next Serie B fixture, a home match against AC Monza on Monday, April 6. Ternana’s schedule continues as it seeks to build on the defensive resolve shown in Lecce.