LA SPEZIA, Italy (Interstat) — Substitute forwards Davide Bragantini and Nicolò Buso scored second-half goals to lift visiting Mantova to a 2-0 victory over Spezia in a Serie B match on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Stadio Alberto Picco.

The result, a reversal of both pregame projections and the teams’ previous meeting this season, provided a vital away win for Mantova while deepening the struggles of a Spezia side mired near the bottom of the table.

Mantova’s victory was engineered largely by its bench, with all direct goal contributions coming from substitutes. The breakthrough arrived in the 32nd minute. Substitute Ali Dembélé, who had entered the match earlier, provided the assist for fellow substitute Bragantini to slot home, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead they would carry into halftime.

The match was a physical and disjointed affair, with the first half alone producing four yellow cards. Mantova’s Alessandro Romano was booked in the 13th minute, followed by Dembélé in the 28th. Spezia’s frustrations mounted as Simone Trimboli was cautioned in stoppage time before the break, and Filippo Bandinelli received a yellow card shortly after the restart in the 49th minute.

Spezia, which had been favored by statistical models pregame, failed to mount a consistent threat. The home side’s attempts to find an equalizer were ultimately extinguished in the 72nd minute when Mantova sealed the victory. Another substitute, Nicolò Buso, found the net, with the assist credited to Rachid Kouda, who had also come off the bench. Kouda was later booked in the 79th minute.

The win marks a measure of revenge for Mantova, which suffered a 4-1 defeat to Spezia in the reverse fixture on Nov. 23, 2025. It also defied the pre-match analytics from Interstat, whose game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw and whose ELO rating system gave Spezia a 70.6 percent probability of winning.

In the broader Serie B season context, the three points improve Mantova’s league record to eight wins, 15 losses and four draws. Their record across all competitions this season now stands at eight wins, 17 losses and four draws. For Spezia, the defeat is another setback in a difficult campaign, leaving them with a Serie B record of six wins, 15 losses and six draws. Their overall record across all tournaments falls to 10 wins, 22 losses and six draws.

Mantova, which entered the match having won its previous game against Virtus Entella 1-0 on April 6, will look to build on this momentum. The club’s next match is at home against Avellino on Saturday, April 18. Spezia, conversely, must regroup quickly after a loss that followed consecutive defeats to Carrarese and Hellas Verona on April 6. Their schedule offers a quick turnaround with a match at Monza set for Tuesday, April 14.