ARZIGNANO, Italy (Interstat) — Nicola Nanni scored in the 17th minute and Jacopo Romio added a goal in the 90th minute as Arzignano defeated visiting Novara 2-0 on Sunday in a global football match. Arzignano, the home side, took the lead early and protected it through a disciplined second half, then capitalized after Novara was reduced to 10 men. The victory improved Arzignano’s record in this competition to six wins, three losses and one draw, and its record across all competitions stands at the same mark. Novara’s record in this competition is now one win, four losses and two draws, matching its record across all competitions.

Nanni’s opener came early and set the tone for Arzignano, which played with the lead for most of the match. Alessio Milillo, who was on the field for the full 90 minutes, recorded an assist, while Mattia Penta added an assist during a six-minute appearance. Nanni finished with 84 minutes and one goal, and Romio made the most of a six-minute stint by scoring the second goal. Arzignano’s second goal arrived in the 90th minute, giving the home side a cushion after Novara had been reduced to 10 men. The goal capped a late push from Arzignano, which had already done enough defensively to keep Novara from scoring. Nanni’s early finish remained the difference for much of the contest, and Romio’s late strike removed any doubt about the outcome.

Novara’s chances of a comeback suffered a major blow in the 71st minute when Cannavaro was sent off with a red card. The visitors had already been warned for their discipline, with Basso and Lorenzini receiving yellow cards in the 25th and 39th minutes. Arzignano’s De Santis and Bernardi were booked in the 44th and 51st minutes, and Novara received another yellow card in the 81st minute. The red card forced Novara to reorganize late, and Arzignano found the second goal in the closing minute. Novara had been competitive before the dismissal, but the numerical disadvantage made a comeback difficult. The match featured five yellow cards and one red card, with Arzignano protecting its lead through the closing stages.

Both teams used substitutions to alter the match. Novara replaced Basso in the 55th minute, then brought on Dell’Erba and Valdesi in the 70th minute and Romano in the 83rd. Arzignano introduced Fosu in the 61st minute and Gatti in the 74th, then made three changes in the 84th minute involving Nanni, De Santis and Lakti. Romio’s late goal capped the scoring, and Arzignano closed out the win without conceding. Novara could not find a response after the sending-off, and its record in the competition stood at one win, four losses and two draws. Arzignano’s victory improved its competition record and kept its strong season mark intact.

Arzignano entered the match with recent results that included a loss at Cittadella, a home win over Juventus U23 and a home draw with Pergolettese. Novara’s recent form included a draw at AlbinoLeffe, a home loss to Cittadella and a win at Dolomiti Bellunesi. The home side’s ability to score early and defend its advantage proved decisive, while Novara’s inability to score left it without a goal on Sunday. Arzignano’s win also followed a run in which it had beaten Carpi and Renate earlier in the season, though the match against Novara required patience after the early breakthrough. Novara’s late changes could not produce a goal, and Arzignano’s defense held firm through the final stages.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Arzignano 1, Novara 1, while its ELO system had projected Arzignano with a 75.2 percent probability to win. Arzignano had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 2 went over the over/under line of 2.5.