Spezia completed the comeback with an M’Bala Nzola brace, dedicating the win over rock bottom Verona to Bartlomiej Dragowski, who broke his ankle in the first half.
Hellas were rock bottom after nine consecutive defeats and hosted a Spezia side with two points from the last seven rounds. The hosts missed Marco Davide Faraoni, Roberto Piccoli, Diego Coppola and Ajdin Hrustic, while the visitors were without Arkadiusz Reca and Viktor Kovalenko.
Kevin Lasagna was sent clear by Simone Verdi only to pull the angled drive wide, while Albin Ekdal’s chest and volley was parried off the line.
Lasagna was late to the Fabio Depaoli cross and nodded over, so it was no surprise when Lasagna was behind the Verona opener. He squirmed between two defenders on the counter and released Verdi, who dinked it over the on-rushing goalkeeper.
Both teams were stunned when Dragowski rushed off his line to clear from Lasagna, but in the accidental collision, the Poland international goalkeeper broke his ankle. He had been in the squad for the World Cup in Qatar, but will now be out for the rest of the season.
Lorenzo Montipò made three big saves on the stroke of half-time, first on M’Bala Nzola’s low drive, then a Jakub Kiwior volley on the resulting corner and finally Holm’s effort at the base of the near post.
Spezia equalised after the restart with a wonderful quick passing move including Ethan Ampadu, finalised by a Simone Bastoni back-heel flick and Nzola drill from the edge of the area.
Lasagna was denied by Jeroen Zoet again, gloves stung by a powerful strike, but Nzola turned the game around with a towering header into the far top corner on Medhi Bourabia’s cross from the right. Inevitably, he celebrated by holding up Dragowski’s shirt.
It should’ve been 3-1, but Montipò got a fingertip to the Bourabia daisy-cutter to push it round the upright.
Verona threatened too, Federico Ceccherini getting on the end of a free kick, but somehow toe-poking over from five yards.
Verona 1-2 Spezia
Verdi 30 (V), Nzola 53, 69 (S)