MODENA, Italy (Interstat) — Substitute Luca Ravanelli scored the decisive goal in the 65th minute, lifting visiting Monza to a 2-1 comeback victory over Modena in a physical Serie B match Friday at Stadio Alberto Braglia.

The Boxing Day fixture, played before a crowd of 15,227, saw Monza open its league campaign with a win, while Modena began its season with a defeat.

The match was a contest defined by impactful substitutions and a flurry of second-half activity after a cagey and foul-plagued first half. The opening 45 minutes produced more yellow cards than clear scoring chances, with Modena’s Davide Adorni and Monza’s Keïta Baldé booked within two minutes of each other early on. The cautions continued, totaling eight by the final whistle, setting a combative tone.

The stalemate was broken five minutes after halftime. Monza’s Paulo Dentello, also introduced as a substitute, found the net in the 50th minute to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The assist came from defender Francesco Zampano.

Modena responded quickly. Just ten minutes later, in the 60th minute, forward Ettore Gliozzi leveled the score at 1-1. He was set up by a pass from teammate Gady Beyuku.

The parity was short-lived. Monza reclaimed the lead for good just five minutes later. In the 65th minute, Ravanelli, who had entered the match alongside Dentello, scored what proved to be the game-winning goal. The play was orchestrated by fellow substitute Matteo Pessina, who provided the assist.

Monza’s depth proved critical, with all three of its goal contributions — two goals and one assist — coming from players who began the match on the bench. In contrast, Modena’s lone goal and assist came from starters.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 1-1 draw. Monza’s effective use of its substitutes to change the match was the key difference.

With the victory, Monza begins its Serie B season with one win and no losses. Modena starts with no wins and one loss. The teams will continue their Serie B schedules next week.