Seven minutes were enough for Johan Vásquez to change the course of the match between Genoa and Südtirol. The Mexican defense entered the change in the 80th minute and, in the 87th, appeared in the area to head the goal that gave his team the 1-0 victory and the ticket to the eighth final of the Copa Italia.
The team led by Daniele De Rossi had dominated much of the match, but failed to beat goalkeeper Stefano Plizzari. When the eliminatory seemed to be heading towards the penalties, Vásquez appeared to solve it.
The Mexican replaced Sebastian Otoa in the last minutes and barely needed seven to become the protagonist of the night at the stadium Luigi Ferraris.
If we tell them!?? Johan Vásquez enters change and is putting the GOOOOOOOOL of the ranking for Genoa to the final eighth. VIVA MÉXICO, CA...!?? #CoppaItaliaEnFOX pic.twitter.com/qgRyIJ4hF5
The Genoa sought the goal from the first half and had several opportunities to put themselves in advantage. Tommaso Baldanzi was one of the first to approach the visiting arch, while Vitinha, Wiafe and Amorim also generated danger.
However, Plizzari responded every time that the local team managed to reach with clarity and kept the draw without goals during the first half.
After the rest, Südtirol was encouraged to attack and was close to surprising Genoa in a counterattack of Federico Davi, although Stolz appeared to avoid the goal.
De Rossi made offensive moves to try to resolve the match and finally resorted to Johan Vásquez in the 80th minute.
The decision had immediate effect.
At the 87th minute, David Puczka took a corner shot from the right and sent the ball to the area. Vásquez won the position, raised himself and connected a headshot that ended in the lower left angle of Plizzari’s goal.
The summary? Genoa came out with the chueca pointer, but a goal from Johan Vásquez, in the final straight of the match, gave Genoa the 8vos ranking in the #CoppaItalia. pic.twitter.com/wzMTTlYoox
The 1-0 caused the celebration in Marassi and prevented the match from having to be defined from the penalty point.
The goal against Südtirol also represents the second consecutive match in which Johan Vásquez scores for Genoa.
The Mexican defendant had been the protagonist last Saturday against Frosinone, when he got the draw for his team in Serie A before receiving an expulsion.
Now he reappeared at a determining moment, although this time his score had a direct consequence in a direct elimination competition: the Genoa advanced to the eighth-finals of the Copa Italia.
The Genoese team ended up suffering in the final minutes.Traoré, in his debut, even struck a shot in the poste, while Südtirol sought the draw during the added time.
However, the mark did not move anymore.
With the triumph over Südtirol, Genoa already has a rival for the next round of the Copa Italia: it will face the Inter of Milan.
The duel is scheduled to be played between December and January and will represent a test of greater demand for the De Rossi set.
For Johan Vásquez, the match also represents another important step within his current time with Genoa. The Mexican started the elimination on the bench, but ended up being the player who decided the pass to the next round.
Vásquez came to Italian football in 2021, from Pumas, and subsequently had a stage with Cremonese before returning to Genoa.
With the Genoese ensemble it has consolidated as a central defense and has also worn the captain’s gaffe.
He entered when ten minutes of regular time remained and found the way to break a match that seemed intended to be prolonged.
