Parma vs Pescara: Overview

Parma Calcio 1913 secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Delfino Pescara 1936 in the opening round of the Coppa Italia at the Stadio Ennio Tardini on a warm Sunday afternoon. The hosts demonstrated their superiority from the opening whistle, controlling possession and creating numerous chances against their Serie B opponents.

The atmosphere at the Tardini was electric as local supporters filled the stands to witness their team's first competitive match of the 2025/26 season. The significance of this Coppa Italia fixture was evident as both Carlos Cuesta and Vincenzo Vivarini fielded strong starting lineups despite the tournament's early stage.

Parma's Mateo Pellegrino opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a clinical finish following a beautifully orchestrated attacking move initiated by Adrián Bernabé. The hosts doubled their advantage shortly after halftime when Pontus Almqvist's cross found Christian Ordoñez, who headed home powerfully past Sebastiano Desplanches.

Pescara, despite their recent strong form in preparation matches, struggled to create meaningful chances against a well-organized Parma defense anchored by Lautaro Valenti and Alessandro Circati. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was rarely troubled as he secured a clean sheet in his competitive debut for the Crociati.

This result sees Parma advance to the Round of 32 in the Coppa Italia, where they'll face tougher opposition as they aim to make a deep run in the tournament. For Pescara, attention now turns fully to their Serie B campaign where they'll look to challenge for promotion under Vivarini's guidance.

"I'm pleased with how we approached this match. We showed intensity and quality when needed, especially in the final third. Advancing in the Coppa Italia was our first objective of the season, and we've accomplished that with a solid performance. Now we must build on this foundation," said Carlos Cuesta, Parma's head coach.

"The difference in quality was evident today. Parma demonstrated why they compete in Serie A. We had moments where we threatened, but ultimately we weren't clinical enough in the final third. This match gives us valuable experience as we prepare for our league campaign," admitted Vincenzo Vivarini, Pescara's manager.

"It feels great to start the season with a goal and help the team advance. We've been working hard during preseason, and today you could see that our tactical understanding is improving. The coach has implemented clear ideas, and we're executing them well," stated Mateo Pellegrino, who scored Parma's opening goal.

"Parma controlled the match professionally and deserved their victory. Pescara showed glimpses of quality but lacked the consistency needed at this level. For Cuesta's men, this should provide confidence ahead of their Serie A opener," analyzed Alessandro Costacurta, former Italian international and match pundit.

The statistical breakdown of the Parma Calcio 1913 versus Delfino Pescara 1936 Coppa Italia clash revealed the home side's dominance. Parma commanded 62% possession against Pescara's 38%, reflecting their control throughout the 90 minutes.

In terms of attacking threat, Parma registered 16 total shots with 7 on target, while Pescara managed just 8 attempts with merely 2 testing Suzuki. The corner count also favored the home side 8-3, highlighting their territorial advantage.

Disciplinary statistics showed a relatively clean match with Parma receiving 2 yellow cards (Keita and Del Prato) compared to Pescara's 3 cautions (Valzania, Letizia, and Corbo).

Individually, Adrián Bernabé stood out with an impressive 91% pass completion rate and 3 key passes that unlocked Pescara's defense. The Spanish midfielder's influence was evident as he orchestrated Parma's attacking movements from deep positions.

For Pescara, goalkeeper Sebastiano Desplanches made 5 saves despite conceding twice, preventing the scoreline from becoming more lopsided. Davide Merola led Pescara's attacking efforts with 3 shots, though only one tested Suzuki.

The expected goals (xG) metric further illustrated Parma's superiority, with the hosts generating 2.4 xG compared to Pescara's modest 0.7, confirming that the final scoreline accurately reflected the balance of play in this Coppa Italia fixture.

17' - Early opportunity for Parma as Almqvist's low cross nearly found Pellegrino, but Desplanches reacted quickly to smother the danger.

37' - GOAL (1-0): Mateo Pellegrino broke the deadlock for Parma with a composed finish from 12 yards after Bernabé's intelligent through ball split Pescara's defense. The Argentine forward placed his shot perfectly into the bottom corner, giving Desplanches no chance.

45+2' - Pescara's best chance of the first half came in stoppage time when Merola's curling effort from the edge of the box forced Suzuki into a diving save.

52' - GOAL (2-0): Christian Ordoñez doubled Parma's advantage with a powerful header from Almqvist's precise cross. The Ecuadorian midfielder timed his run perfectly to meet the ball six yards out and directed it downward past Desplanches.

67' - Substitutions: Carlos Cuesta made a tactical adjustment, withdrawing Pellegrino and Keita for fresh legs while maintaining Parma's 4-3-3 formation. Vivarini responded by switching Pescara to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 shape.

75' - Golden opportunity missed by Pescara as substitute Sgarbi broke through one-on-one with Suzuki but dragged his shot wide of the far post.

88' - Final chance for Parma to extend their lead when Valeri's thunderous strike from distance rattled the crossbar with Desplanches beaten. The score remained 2-0 as the match approached its conclusion.

The historical rivalry between Parma Calcio 1913 and Delfino Pescara 1936 has been characterized by competitive encounters, with this Coppa Italia match adding another chapter to their story. Prior to this meeting, the head-to-head record slightly favored Parma with 3 wins compared to Pescara's 2 in their previous 5 competitive fixtures, a pattern that continued with this latest victory.

Statistically, meetings between these two sides have typically been high-scoring affairs, with previous encounters averaging 3 goals per match. Today's contest proved slightly more restrained, though Parma's 2-0 victory maintained the tradition of the home side finding the net multiple times when hosting this fixture.

The tactical battle between Carlos Cuesta and Vincenzo Vivarini represented a fascinating contrast in approaches. Cuesta's possession-based system, built around the technical quality of Bernabé and the intelligent movement of Pellegrino, overcame Vivarini's more direct counter-attacking strategy that relied heavily on Merola's pace.

Individual confrontations across the pitch largely went Parma's way, with the experienced Valenti winning his duel against Pescara's Cangiano, neutralizing the visitor's primary attacking threat. Similarly, Bernabé dominated the midfield battle against Valzania, controlling the tempo and creative flow of the match.

This victory extends Parma's psychological edge over their Adriatic rivals, particularly in cup competitions where they've now won three consecutive meetings. For Pescara, the challenge of overcoming this mental hurdle grows with each defeat, though the relative rarity of fixtures between these teams (now competing in different divisions) means today's result may have limited long-term impact on their rivalry.

As the Coppa Italia is a knockout tournament separate from league competition, the result doesn't affect either team's position in their respective league tables. However, the implications for both clubs' seasons are significant.

Parma Calcio 1913 currently sits 14th in the Serie A pre-season projections, with analysts predicting a season of consolidation for Cuesta's squad. Their primary objective remains securing top-flight survival, and this Coppa Italia victory provides valuable momentum heading into their league campaign. The Crociati will hope this confident performance translates into early Serie A points, potentially allowing them to exceed expectations and climb toward mid-table security.

Delfino Pescara 1936 occupies 15th position in the Serie B forecasts, with bookmakers suggesting they'll face a challenging battle to avoid relegation concerns. Despite this Coppa Italia exit, Vivarini's men showed enough quality in patches to suggest they could outperform these modest predictions. Their organized defensive structure, particularly in the first 30 minutes against top-tier opposition, provides a foundation to build upon as they target a comfortable mid-table finish.

Both teams will now fully focus on their respective league campaigns, with Parma's Coppa Italia journey continuing into the next round. The tournament represents a realistic opportunity for Parma to achieve cup success this season, potentially setting up attractive fixtures against Italy's elite clubs in later rounds.