Level on 10 points in Serie A, the first top-flight meeting between the duo got off to an exciting toe-to-toe start. Monza carved the first clear-cut opportunity of the match via Stefano Sensi’s missile from outside the box that swooshed past the woodwork in the blink of an eye.
However, it was Bologna who looked incisive enough to inflict first blood, overseeing successive chances from Adama Soumaoro and Joshua Zirkzee – both brilliantly kept out Michele Di Gregorio’s knee-jerk reflexes.
Seeking successive wins for the first time this season, Bayern youth product Zirkzee then skied an amazing opportunity from 12 yards following a sweet chipped pass by Nicolás Domínguez.
The Biancorossi weren’t going to sit back and soak the pressure, with Sensi once again leading the charge as he fashioned a long-range effort right at Lukasz Skorupski between the posts.
With only Spezia having picked up fewer away league points than Bologna’s one coming into this round, Thiago Motta entered the break the more disappointed of the two coaches considering the crucial chances his side threw away.
Drama unfolded at the Brianteo around the hour mark, as both sides raised the stakes and notched a goal apiece within the space of a couple of minutes, spicing up the final half-hour.
A clumsy foul in the box by Michel Aebischer on a fleet-footed Sensi handed Monza a penalty, which Andrea Petagna coolly slotted home.
The Rossoblu reacted immediately via Lewis Ferguson, who picked up a lovely pass by Stefan Posch and drove it past a helpless Di Gregorio to make it 1-1.
Making up for all his shortcomings beforehand, Zirkzee superbly released Riccardo Orsolini in the final-third, and the striker made no mistake from the one-on-one situation, blasting the ball into the back of the net to hand Bologna the lead in the 73rd minute.
Raffaele Palladino’s men hardly threatened the visitors thereafter, failing to avoid a third straight league defeat that leaves them hanging in 15th position.
Bologna on the other hand, taste successive wins for the first time this term.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Stefano Sensi (Monza)
