BENEVENTO, Italy (Interstat) — Benevento edged Catania 2-1 in a pivotal Serie C match on Thursday, avenging an earlier defeat and tightening its grip on the league standings.

In a match critical for the promotion picture, the hosts secured a comeback victory at Stadio Ciro Vigorito, overcoming an early deficit with two first-half goals in a frantic three-minute span. The result extended Benevento’s strong home form and dealt a blow to Catania’s recent momentum.

The visitors struck first, silencing the home crowd in the 22nd minute. Catania’s Gabriel Lunetta found the net to give his side the early advantage, capitalizing on a period of pressure. The lead was shockingly short-lived. Just three minutes later, in the 25th minute, Benevento’s Davide Lamesta responded in kind, leveling the score and dramatically shifting the match’s momentum in favor of the home side.

Benevento carried that energy forward and was rewarded just before halftime. In the 40th minute, Guglielmo Mignani scored what proved to be the decisive goal, completing the rapid turnaround and sending his team into the break with a lead they would not relinquish.

The second half saw Catania push for an equalizer, but the Benevento defense held firm under pressure. The visitors could not find a second breakthrough, with the final whistle confirming a hard-fought three points for the home side.

The victory carried significant weight in the context of the season. It served as payback for Benevento, which suffered a 1-0 loss in the reverse fixture at Catania on Oct. 26. More importantly, it solidified Benevento’s position near the top of the table. The club now holds a record of 18 wins, three losses and seven draws in Serie C play this season, translating to 19 wins, three losses and seven draws across all competitions.

For Catania, the defeat halted a positive run. Entering the match, the Sicilian side had been unbeaten in its last five league outings, a streak that included four wins and a draw. Their record in the league now stands at 14 wins, three losses and six draws, with an overall mark of 14-4-6.

The match defied the pregame projection from Interstat, whose game simulator had forecast a 1-1 draw. Their ELO rating system, however, had given Benevento a 68.5% probability to win, a prediction borne out by the final result.

With the win, Benevento builds momentum ahead of its next Serie C fixture, a home match against Foggia on March 15. Catania, meanwhile, must regroup quickly as it prepares to host Casertana on March 9, looking to rebound from this setback and keep its promotion ambitions on track.