Bologna closed to within just two points of third-place Juventus, as Riccardo Orsolini and Alexis Saelemaekers curlers ruin Stefano Colantuono’s Salernitana debut.
The Rossoblu went into this round with seven wins from their last eight, losing only narrowly to leaders Inter. Joshua Zirkzee was back after his injury, while Adama Soumaoro and Sam Beukema were on the treatment table. Salernitana made their debut under fourth coach of the campaign Colantuono, but Federico Fazio and Grigoris Kastanos didn’t make the trip along with outcast Boulaye Dia.
See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.
Riccardo Orsolini ballooned over in the opening minutes, but got it in the net with a sensational finish when gathering a Riccardo Calafiori cross-field pass down the right flank, cutting inside and curling left-footed into the far top corner from the edge of the box.
This is one Riccardo Orsolini will have on REPLAY! ✨
The bend on that is UNREAL! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/j6PTIrKKLy
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 1, 2024
Nwankwo Simy was almost gifted an equaliser moments later by poor passing out from the back, but Nicola Ravaglia made the save one-on-one.
Kostas Manolas threw himself in the way of Lewis Ferguson’s curler from another smart Calafiori pass, but Alexis Saelemaekers scored with almost a mirror image of the Orsolini goal. He cut inside from the left flank and thumped a right-foot rocket into the far top corner.
This is as pure a strike as you'll EVER see 🤯
Alexis Saelemaekers. TAKE A BOW 👏
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/bTo5q4Keu3
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 1, 2024
Jens Odgaard turned in the rebound from a deflected Orsolini strike, but was obviously in an offside position, while Loum Tchaouna skimmed the base of the far post on the counter-attack.
Zirkzee came off the bench and immediately created chances, his roll across just beyond Dan Ndoye at full stretch, then a solo attempt deflected over for a corner, but Ravaglia had to sprint off his line to stop Antonio Candreva scoring when springing the offside trap.
Charalampos Lykogiannis sealed the 3-0 result in stoppages with another splendid team goal, combining with the Saelemaekers back-heel flick to sweep the finish into the far bottom corner with the inside of the right boot.
Bologna 3-0 Salernitana
Orsolini 14 (B), Saelemaekers 44 (B), Lykogiannis 93 (B)
Player statistic
| Riccardo Orsolini (Assist: Riccardo Calafiori) |
 |
14' | ||
| 16' |  |
Niccolò Pierozzi | ||
| Alexis Saelemaekers (Assist: Remo Freuler) |
|
44' | ||
| 45+1' | |
Antonio Candreva |
| 77' | |
Loum Tchaouna | ||
| Charalampos Lykogiannis (Assist: Alexis Saelemaekers) |
|
90+2' |
Match statistic
I’d love it if FI to can show us Calafiori’s average positional heat map for the entire campaign. Is there a more modern centre back than him in the game? What a player, and what a talent. He is constantly influencing the game in the opposition’s half. First touch to rival that of rodri and game intelliegence well beyond his tender age.