CERIGNOLA, Italy (Interstat) — Audace Cerignola opened its Serie C campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Sorrento on Sunday, overcoming an early deficit and a late surge from the visitors to secure three points at Campo Comunale Domenico Monterisi.

The match, played on March 15, 2026, defied a statistical pregame projection that heavily favored the home side, instead delivering a tense and back-and-forth contest. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of 2-1 for Cerignola, while its ELO system gave the hosts an 83.40 percent probability to win. The actual result matched the predicted margin but required a more arduous path.

Sorrento, the visiting side, stunned the home crowd almost immediately. In just the fourth minute, Zak Ruggiero found the net, handing Sorrento a surprising 1-0 lead that they would protect for the majority of the first half. The goal established a defensive posture for Sorrento as Cerignola began to control possession and apply pressure.

That pressure finally told in first-half stoppage time. In the 45th minute, plus seven added minutes, Cerignola’s Diego Gambale scored the equalizer, sending the teams into halftime level at 1-1. The goal shifted momentum squarely to the home side.

Cerignola carried that energy into the second half and quickly took the lead. In the 64th minute, Carmine Cretella scored, putting Audace Cerignola ahead 2-1. Gambale then appeared to put the game out of reach just seven minutes later, in the 71st minute, completing his brace and extending the lead to 3-1.

However, Sorrento refused to capitulate. They halved the deficit shortly after Gambale’s second goal, setting up a frantic final 20 minutes. The visitors pressed for an equalizer, but Cerignola’s defense managed to see out the match, preserving the 3-2 scoreline.

The result gives Audace Cerignola a winning start to the Serie C season, improving its record in the competition to one win and zero losses. Their overall record across all competitions also stands at one win and zero losses. For Sorrento, the narrow defeat marks a hard-luck beginning to their league season, as their record in Serie C falls to zero wins and one loss, mirroring their overall record.

The match provided an early-season highlight for the Cerignola supporters, showcasing the team’s resilience in erasing an early disadvantage and its ability to withstand a late challenge to secure a vital home victory.