Parma vs Pescara: Resumen

Parma Calcio 1913 secured a convincing victory over Delfino Pescara 1936 in their Coppa Italia Round of 64 clash at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. The home side demonstrated their superiority with a clinical performance that saw Argentine forward Mateo Pellegrino net a decisive brace, scoring in the 47th and 65th minutes to seal Parma's progression to the next round.

The atmosphere at the Tardini was electric despite the summer heat, with the Parma faithful turning out in good numbers to support their team in this first competitive fixture of the 2025/26 season. The stadium, which has been a fortress for Parma in recent encounters against Pescara, once again proved to be a difficult venue for the visitors from Abruzzo.

This result affirms Parma's status as the favorite they were projected to be heading into the match, with bookmakers having placed them at 1.33 odds for the win. Coach Carlos Cuesta's tactical approach paid dividends as his side controlled proceedings against Vincenzo Vivarini's Pescara, who despite entering the fixture with strong recent form (four wins and a draw), couldn't translate that momentum into success in this cup competition.

The victory propels Parma into the Round of 32 of the Coppa Italia, where they will face stiffer competition as they aim to make a deep run in a tournament that has historically provided smaller clubs an opportunity to claim silverware. For Pescara, the early exit allows them to focus on their league campaign, where they will look to regroup and build on their otherwise positive pre-season form.

"We approached this match with the utmost respect for Pescara, who have shown excellent form recently. Our preparation was meticulous, and I'm pleased with how the players executed our game plan, especially after the break," stated Carlos Cuesta, Parma's coach. "Pellegrino's finishing was exceptional today, but this was a complete team performance from defense to attack."

"Unfortunately, we couldn't maintain our recent momentum in this cup fixture," admitted Vincenzo Vivarini, Pescara's manager. "Parma showed why they're considered the stronger side today. We had our moments, particularly in the first half, but we failed to capitalize. This is a learning experience for our squad as we continue to develop."

"Scoring twice feels great, but I'm more satisfied with how we performed as a unit," said match-winner Mateo Pellegrino. "The service from my teammates was excellent, and I was just fortunate to be in the right positions. We've been working hard in training on our attacking movements, and today it paid off."

"The difference between the teams was evident in the clinical finishing," analyzed former Italy international and football pundit Alessandro Costacurta. "Parma demonstrated superior quality in the final third, with Pellegrino showcasing the predatory instincts that separate good strikers from great ones. Pescara competed well but lacked that cutting edge when opportunities presented themselves."

Ball Possession: Parma 58% - 42% Pescara

Shots on Target: Parma 6 - 2 Pescara

Total Shots: Parma 14 - 8 Pescara

Corners: Parma 7 - 3 Pescara

Fouls: Parma 11 - 14 Pescara

Yellow Cards: Parma 2 (Valenti, Keita) - Pescara 3 (Valzania, Letizia, Corbo)

Red Cards: None

Individual Performances:

Mateo Pellegrino (Parma): 2 goals, 4 shots (3 on target), 86% pass accuracy

Adrián Bernabé (Parma): 2 assists, 92% pass completion, 3 key passes

Mandela Keita (Parma): 8 ball recoveries, 4 interceptions, 91% pass accuracy

Sebastiano Desplanches (Pescara): 4 saves, 2 high claims, 65% pass accuracy

Davide Merola (Pescara): 3 shots (1 on target), 2 dribbles completed, 78% pass accuracy

Parma dominated the statistical categories across the board, reflecting their control of the Coppa Italia encounter. Their superior possession was translated into meaningful attacks, with twice as many shots on target as their opponents. The midfield battle was particularly one-sided, with Bernabé's creative influence and Keita's defensive solidity giving Parma a platform to build from. Pescara goalkeeper Desplanches was kept busy throughout, making several important saves to prevent an even more convincing scoreline.

15': Early opportunity for Pescara as Davide Merola broke through Parma's defensive line, only to be denied by a brilliant reflex save from Zion Suzuki. This would prove to be Pescara's best chance of the match.

32': Tactical adjustment by Parma coach Carlos Cuesta, shifting Adrián Bernabé into a more advanced position to exploit spaces between Pescara's midfield and defense. This change would prove decisive in the second half.

47': GOAL! Parma take the lead immediately after the restart. Mateo Pellegrino finished clinically from 12 yards after excellent work down the right flank by Pontus Almqvist, who beat his marker before delivering a precise cutback.

53': Pescara coach Vincenzo Vivarini responds with a double substitution, introducing Gianmarco Cangiano and Giacomo Olzer to inject creativity into his struggling side.

65': GOAL! Parma double their advantage through Mateo Pellegrino again. A sublime through ball from Adrián Bernabé splits the Pescara defense, allowing Pellegrino to round the goalkeeper and slot into an empty net.

78': Key defensive intervention by Parma's Alessandro Circati, who made a crucial last-ditch tackle to deny Lorenzo Sgarbi as Pescara pushed to get back into the match.

85': Parma content to manage the game in the closing stages, maintaining possession and seeing out their comfortable advantage to secure progression to the next round of the Coppa Italia.

The historical rivalry between Parma Calcio 1913 and Delfino Pescara 1936 has been relatively one-sided in recent years, with today's result extending Parma's advantage in the head-to-head statistics. Prior to this encounter, Parma had won three of their previous five meetings, with Pescara claiming victory twice.

Particularly noteworthy is Parma's dominance at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, where they previously recorded a convincing 3-1 win against Pescara in their last Coppa Italia meeting. Today's 2-0 victory continues this trend of home success for the Crociati against the Delfini.

The fixture has historically been a high-scoring affair, with previous matches averaging around three goals per game. Today's encounter, with two goals, fell slightly below this average, perhaps reflecting Parma's more measured approach under Carlos Cuesta compared to previous seasons.

Individual battles across the pitch largely favored Parma, with the midfield duel between Mandela Keita and Pescara's Luca Valzania particularly one-sided. Keita's physicality and technical ability allowed him to dominate the center of the park, cutting off supply lines to Pescara's attacking players. Similarly, Adrián Bernabé's creative influence proved too much for Pescara's midfield to contain.

In defense, Parma's center-back pairing of Lautaro Valenti and Alessandro Circati effectively neutralized Pescara's forward Davide Merola, limiting him to just one shot on target despite his recent good form. This defensive solidity has been a recurring theme in the fixtures between these teams when played at the Tardini.

This latest chapter in the Parma-Pescara rivalry reinforces the historical pattern of Parma's superiority, particularly in cup competitions and when enjoying home advantage.

While the Coppa Italia operates as a knockout tournament separate from league competition, both teams' current positions in their respective leagues provide context for this cup encounter.

Parma Calcio 1913 currently sit 14th in Serie A, aiming to solidify their position in Italy's top flight after a challenging start to their campaign. This cup victory could serve as a confidence booster as they look to climb the table in coming weeks. With several teams within striking distance above them, a good run of form could see them move into mid-table security.

Delfino Pescara 1936 occupy 15th position in Serie B, Italy's second tier, where they are battling to distance themselves from relegation concerns. Despite their recent good form prior to this cup defeat, they remain in a precarious position and will need to translate their pre-cup form back to league action.

For Parma, progress in the Coppa Italia represents an opportunity to potentially secure European qualification through the cup route, particularly valuable given their current league standing. Meanwhile, Pescara's early exit allows them to focus exclusively on improving their league position, with survival in Serie B likely their primary objective this season.

Historically, the Coppa Italia has provided teams from lower positions the chance to salvage their seasons with cup runs, something Parma will now look to capitalize on following this convincing victory over their Serie B opponents.