PICERNO, Italy (Interstat) — Picerno scored in the 33rd, 53rd and 90th minutes and defeated visiting Salernitana 3-0 on Monday at Stadio Comunale Donato Curcio in a Serie C match. The home side controlled the decisive moments and kept Salernitana scoreless despite the visitors’ attempts to push forward late. Picerno set the tone with the opening goal and never trailed.

Andrea Gemignani opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, giving Picerno a lead it never surrendered. Gemignani recorded one goal while playing 90 minutes. Francesco Rillo made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute, and he finished with one goal in 84 minutes before being substituted in the 84th minute. Pugliese closed the scoring in the 90th minute, then received a yellow card in the first minute of stoppage time. The goal sequence gave Picerno a comfortable finish after a competitive opening half.

Salernitana’s best response came through changes and pressure, but it could not find a goal. Cardoni came on in the 53rd minute, and Salernitana later introduced Lescano and Tascone in the 65th and 66th minutes, respectively. Llano Massa entered in the 81st minute. Picerno countered with substitutions of its own, bringing on Kanoute in the 64th minute and Abreu in the 76th before Rillo and Bianchi came off the bench in the 84th and 85th minutes. The substitutions altered the shape of both sides but did not produce a Salernitana breakthrough.

The match grew chippy as the second half wore on. Esposito was booked in the 69th minute, Pieraccini in the 70th, Maselli in the 74th, Villa in the 79th and Coppola in the 82nd. Pugliese was shown a yellow card in the 90th minute plus one minute of stoppage time. The bookings did not change the match’s direction, as Picerno protected its lead and Salernitana remained unable to break through.

Picerno’s record in the competition is now 6 wins and 6 losses, matching its record across all competitions. Salernitana’s record in the competition is now 3 wins, 3 losses and 5 draws, also matching its mark across all competitions. Picerno entered the match after consecutive losses, while Salernitana had drawn its previous two matches. Picerno’s recent setbacks included a 1-0 loss at Barletta and a 2-1 home loss to Cosenza. Salernitana’s recent draws came against Scafatese and Casarano. Earlier in the campaign, Picerno had wins over Audace Cerignola and Inter U23, while Salernitana had beaten Bari and Potenza and drawn with Barletta and Cavese. Those results gave the match added context as both sides looked to stabilize their league form. Picerno’s win gave the home side a needed lift at Stadio Comunale Donato Curcio and handed Salernitana another frustrating result in a season that has included more draws than victories.

Salernitana’s attacking effort produced no goals, and its defense could not contain Picerno’s three separate scoring plays. Picerno’s first goal came midway through the first half, its second arrived early in the second half, and its third came at the end of regulation. The scoring spread allowed Picerno to manage the closing stages with a two-goal cushion before Pugliese added the final goal. The visitors were forced to chase the game after Rillo’s goal, and Picerno’s late third removed any doubt. Salernitana finished the match with a yellow card to Pieraccini and another to Villa, while Picerno picked up bookings to Esposito, Maselli, Coppola and Pugliese. The home side’s discipline held well enough to preserve the clean sheet.

The result was a stark contrast to the pregame projection. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Picerno 1, Salernitana 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Salernitana with a 61.6 percent probability to win.