Parma 2-2 Spezia Player Ratings: Mouhamadou Sarr 8.5/10 Rated as Parma Clinch Victory in Dramatic Penalty Shootout After 2-2 Draw

What a rollercoaster of a match at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. This Coppa Italia Parma vs Spezia clash had absolutely everything you could ask for. Parma and Spezia threw everything at each other for 120 grueling minutes. The game deservedly ended 2-2, sending us all into a nail-biting penalty shootout.

From our perspective, the game was beautifully chaotic right from the off. Parma drew first blood through an unlikely source. Defender Mariano Troilo unleashed a strike that found the net, which surprised everyone. Spezia, however, refused to lie down and fought back bravely, with Giuseppe Aurelio leveling the score just before the halftime whistle.

The drama simply did not let up in the second half. Mateo Pellegrino's well-placed header put Parma back in the driver's seat. But Spezia substitute Gianluca Lapadula had other ideas, becoming the late hero. He scored a crucial equalizer to send the frantic tie into extra time. The added period was incredibly tense, made even more difficult for the hosts after substitute Elia Plicco was shown a straight red card. Ultimately, a resolute ten-man Parma held their nerve to triumph in the shootout. Here are the Parma vs Spezia player ratings.

Spezia Player Ratings vs Parma

Here are the Spezia player ratings vs Parma.

Goalkeeper

Mouhamadou Sarr - 8.5: What a performance from the Spezia keeper. We noticed he was a commanding presence all night. He made a staggering six saves, including three from inside the box, to keep his team in the game. He couldn't do much about the two goals conceded but his saves were vital. Without him, Spezia would have lost this in normal time.

Defenders

Fellipe Jack - 6.0: A difficult night for the defender. He picked up a yellow card for a clumsy challenge and struggled in his duels, winning only half of them. He was caught out of position a couple of times. He did score his penalty, which showed great composure, but his overall defensive performance was shaky at best.

Andrea Cistana - 6.5: A mixed bag from Cistana. He was solid in possession, with a 91% pass accuracy, and created a chance. However, he also committed a couple of needless fouls and struggled in the air. He did his job, but it was far from a dominant display at the back. We expected a little more leadership from him.

Matteo Onofri - 6.5: Had a decent game before being substituted after 80 minutes. He was tidy on the ball and made a couple of important clearances. From our perspective, he was a steady if unspectacular part of the backline. It was a tactical change to bring him off as Spezia chased the game.

Midfielders

Ádám Nagy - 7.0: A really busy performance in the heart of midfield. His passing was sublime, completing 92% of his 85 passes. He kept the play ticking over and created a key chance for his teammates. He worked tirelessly for the full 120 minutes, though he wasn't as effective in breaking up play as we'd have liked.

Francesco Cassata - 6.0: He was energetic and won a few tackles in his 57 minutes on the pitch. However, he lost possession too often and his passing was a bit wayward. He struggled to impose himself on the game before being substituted.

Giuseppe Aurelio - 7.5: Scored a vital equalizer with a composed finish. He was a constant threat down the flank before being taken off. He put in a great shift defensively too, winning his tackles and making recoveries. It was a surprise to see him subbed off after such an impactful contribution.

Luca Vignali - 7.0: The captain led by example. He provided the assist for the first goal and was a creative spark. He worked his socks off down the wing, though his final ball was sometimes lacking with only 59% pass accuracy.

Christian Comotto - 8.0: An absolutely monstrous performance in midfield. What stood out to us was his duel success, winning an incredible 10 out of 12 battles. He also provided an assist and was a rock for the entire 120 minutes. He was everywhere, breaking up play and driving his team forward.

Forwards

Gabriele Artistico - 5.5: A very quiet game for the attacker. He barely had a touch of the ball and was completely anonymous before being substituted. He lost his only duel and offered very little threat. A forgettable evening for him.

Vanja Vlahović - 6.5: He worked hard for 120 minutes but missed a big chance that could have changed the game. He held the ball up reasonably well but lacked the clinical edge in front of goal. He did, however, show immense courage to step up and score his penalty in the shootout.

Substitutes

Gianluca Lapadula - 7.0: Came on and completely changed the game. He was a menace, and his late goal was a moment of pure class to force extra time. However, he then blazed his penalty over the bar which was a huge moment in the shootout. A game of hero to villain for the striker.

Rachid Kouda - 6.5: Brought energy to the midfield and scored his penalty with confidence. A decent cameo.

Pietro Beruatto - 6.0: Slotted in at the back but gave away a couple of silly fouls. Didn't have a huge impact.

Antonio Candela - 6.0: Added fresh legs on the flank but didn't provide much attacking threat.

Edoardo Soleri - 4.5: His only significant contribution was having his penalty saved. A moment he will want to forget quickly.

Manager

L. D'Angelo - 7.0: His substitutions made a massive impact, especially bringing on Lapadula who scored the equalizer. His team showed incredible fight to come from behind twice. The game plan was solid, but the penalty misses ultimately cost them the match.

Parma Player Ratings vs Spezia

Here are the Parma player ratings vs Spezia.

Goalkeeper

Zion Suzuki - 8.0: He was solid throughout the match, making three important saves. But his real hero moment came in the penalty shootout. Saving Edoardo Soleri's penalty was the decisive moment that won Parma the tie.

Defenders

Abdoulaye Ndiaye - 6.5: A mixed performance defensively, winning only one of his duels. However, he showed nerves of steel to step up and score his penalty. His contribution in the shootout bumps up his rating significantly.

Enrico Delprato - 6.0: A quiet first half for the captain before being substituted. He was tidy in possession with 94% accuracy but didn't offer much else. It seemed a precautionary or tactical change at halftime. He was fine, but unremarkable.

Mariano Troilo - 7.0: Scored a fantastic opening goal from distance, a real surprise from a defender. Defensively, however, he had some shaky moments and was dribbled past once. His goal was a huge contribution, but his primary job at the back could have been better.

Midfielders

Nahuel Estévez - 7.5: An excellent display in his 70 minutes. His passing was almost perfect (95%), and he created two chances for his teammates. He completely controlled the tempo of the game while he was on the pitch.

Mathias Løvik - 6.0: A hard-working but ultimately ineffective performance. He lost possession ten times and struggled to make an impact going forward. He did his defensive duties but offered little creativity.

Oliver Sørensen - 5.5: He only lasted 46 minutes and was largely anonymous. He lost the ball a few times and didn't contribute much to the attack or defense. It was no surprise to see him hooked at halftime.

Christian Ordóñez - 5.0: From our perspective, this was a shocking performance for 120 minutes. He won just one of his nine duels and was dispossessed three times. He was a passenger for large parts of the game. He gets a point for courageously scoring his penalty, but it was a very poor showing overall.

Sascha Britschgi - 7.0: He had a goal-line clearance moment that was crucial. He was a bit sloppy in possession, but his work rate was immense. He was involved in a lot of the dirty work and put in a real shift for the team.

Forwards

Adrian Benedyczak - 7.5: A very effective game from the forward. He provided a brilliant assist for the second goal and was a constant threat. He created two chances and was a real handful for the Spezia defence before he was substituted.

Mateo Pellegrino - 7.5: He led the line well, scoring a great header to put his team ahead. He was a physical presence, winning five aerial duels, and had four shots on goal.

Substitutes

Elia Plicco - 3.0: Came on as a substitute and got a straight red card. An absolute disaster. He let his team down completely and gets the lowest rating.

Mandela Keita - 6.5: Came on and steadied the ship in midfield. A solid if unspectacular appearance.

Patrick Cutrone - 7.0: Looked lively when he came on and coolly dispatched his penalty. A good contribution from the bench.

Adrián Bernabé - 7.0: Added some creativity and also scored his penalty with confidence. Did what was asked of him.

Manager

C. Antón Cuesta - 7.0: His team showed great character to win with ten men. His starting lineup was effective, and the substitutions (bar Plicco) did their jobs. He navigated a chaotic game well and his side held their nerve when it mattered.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Mouhamadou Sarr