Serie A | Monza 0-1 Verona: Own goal a huge relegation blow | OneFootball

Monza edge ever closer to relegation after this costly home defeat to Verona, decided by a comical Stefan Letkovic own goal.

Rock bottom Monza had Alessandro Bianco suspended, with Gianluca Caprari, Luca Caldirola, Alessio Cragno, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, Samuele Birindelli, Warren Bondo, Matteo Pessina and Roberto Gagliardini injured. New buy Gaetano Castrovilli was added after Daniel Maldini’s move to Atalanta was agreed. Ondrej Duda sat out a ban for Hellas, with Davide Faraoni, Casper Tengstedt and Abdou Harroui on the treatment table.

See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.

The hosts had a huge chance after six minutes when Stefano Sensi was robbed in midfield to spark the counter-attack, Stefano Turati getting down to fingertip the Amin Sarr daisy-cutter round the base of the near post.

Verona took the lead after a truly comical own goal, as Suat Serdar burst down the right and pulled back from the by-line, finding Stefan Lekovic to clumsily bundle into his own net from a couple of yards.

MONZA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 01: Stefan Lekovic of Monza battles for possession with Daniel Mosquera of Hellas Verona during the Serie A match between Monza and Verona at U-Power Stadium on February 01, 2025 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Serdar tried to lob Turati from midfield, while Dany Mota Carvalho’s curler was smothered by Lorenzo Montipò, but Serdar went off injured at half-time.

Cheikh Niasse should’ve made it 2-0 on the counter-attack sent clear by Sarr, drilling inches wide of the near post, while Gaetano Castrovilli made his Monza debut following the move from Lazio.

Monza lost goalkeeper Turati to injury and substitute Semuel Pizzignacco immediately had to make two big saves on corners, first from Daniele Ghilardi, then Daniel Mosquera.

Tomas Suslov had a couple of angled drives off target, while Monza talent Kevin Martins caused trouble with his sprints to the by-line.

Dany Mota Carvalho’s glancing header turned a Patrick Ciurria corner just wide of the far post in stoppages.

Lekovic og 13 (V)