It was an astonishing Derby del Veneto, as Venezia fumbled a 3-0 lead after Pietro Ceccaroni’s red card, Giovanni Simeone completing the turnaround with a scorcher for Verona’s 4-3 victory.
This was a rare edition of the Veneto Derby in the top flight, with both teams doing better than expected this season. Ethan Ampadu was suspended for the Lagunari, with Niki Maenpaa, Sigurdsson and flu-hit Modolo not fully fit. Hellas missed Nikola Kalinic, Antonin Barak, Koray Gunter, Matteo Cancellieri, Martin Hongla and Gianluca Frabotta.
Sergio Romero was immediately tested by Darko Lazovic’s strike, but Venezia lost striker David Okereke within five minutes to injury.
The hosts took the lead with a well-worked move, Mattia Aramu’s cross knocked down at the back post by Thomas Henry for Pietro Ceccaroni to tap in from point-blank range.
Venezia added another when Sofian Kiyine sent Dennis Johnsen running with a long ball down the left, he rolled across with the outside of the right boot for Domen Crnigoj to finish the classic counter from six yards.
Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipò gifted the third goal with a howler. He went to gather on the edge of his penalty area, but was hesitant and Henry snuck in there first, prodding the rebound into the net. Montipò wanted a free kick, but he was never in control of the ball.
It was all Venezia, Henry blasting wide from distance, although Miguel Veloso’s free kick was fingertipped out from under the bar by Sergio Romero.
Verona started the second half strong, Romero palming an Adrien Tameze curler out and from the resulting corner it grazed Henry’s head at the near post for an own goal.
The game changed completely when Ceccaroni performed a desperate goal-line clearance on Marco Davide Faraoni’s header using his arm, so the red card for the Venezia defender and a penalty were inevitable. Gianluca Caprari converted, although Romero did get his fingertips to it at the near bottom corner.
The collapse was complete when Svoboda gifted the ball to Faraoni, who set up Giovanni Simeone for a delightful dinked finish over Romero and 3-3.
Hellas went from 3-0 down to 3-3 in the space of 15 minutes and were now determined to win, Caprari’s shot charged down in the box.
They turned it around with a stunner from Simeone, as Cholito just unleashed an unstoppable right-foot screamer from 20 metres into the far top corner.
Venezia 3-4 Verona
Ceccaroni 12 (Ven), Crnigoj 19 (Ven), Henry 27 (Ven), Henry og 52 (Ver), Caprari pen 64 (Ver), Simeone 67, 85 (Ver)
Sent off: Ceccaroni 62 (Ven)