US Catanazaro vs Spezia Prediction and Betting Tips

US Catanazaro and Spezia will square off in the first leg of their Serie B playoff semifinal tie on Wednesday (May 21st). The game will be played at Stadio Nicola Ceravolo.

The hosts booked their spot in the quarterfinals of the playoffs courtesy of their sixth-placed finish in the regular season. They eliminated seventh-placed Cesena with a 1-0 home victory in the quarterfinal over the weekend. Their visitors missed a 50th-minute penalty and Pietro Iemmello made them pay by scoring the match-winner four minutes later.

Spezia, meanwhile, received a bye to this stage thanks to their third-placed finish. They concluded the regular season with a 3-1 home win over Cosenza. Salvatore Elia, Rachid Kouda and Francesco Pio Esposito all scored a goal each to give them a three-goal lead at the break. Gabriele Artistico pulled one back for the visitors in the 48th minute.

The Liguria outfit will shift their attention to their quest for a return to Serie A. Juve Stabia or Cremonese await the winner of this tie for a place in the top flight of Italian football.

US Catanazaro vs Spezia Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

US Catenazaro have three wins from eight head-to-head games. Spezia were victorious twice, while three games ended in a share of the spoils.
Their most recent clash came in February 2025 when Catanzaro claimed a 1-0 away win.
Five of Spezia's last six league games have witnessed goals at both ends and also produced three goals or more.
Four of Catanazaro's last five home games have produced over 2.5 goals.
Spezia are winless in their last six away games (five draws).
Catanazaro have lost just one of their last 10 home games (five wins).

US Catanazaro vs Spezia Prediction

US Catanazaro are aiming for a return to Serie A for the first time since 1983. They were competing in Serie C just two years ago, highlighting the progress made over the last few years.

Spezia, for their part, are seeking to end their two-year spell away from the top flight. They enter this tie as the favorites and were the more consistent side in the regular season.

Both sides have relatively porous backlines and we are backing the spoils to be shared in a low-scoring stalemate.

Prediction: US Catanazaro 1-1 Spezia

US Catanazaro vs Spezia Betting Tips

Tip 1 - Result: Draw

Tip 2 - Both teams to score

Tip 3 - Over 1.5 goals

About the author

Elvis is a seasoned football journalist and has been with Sportskeeda for more than 6 years. He specializes in writing match previews across several leagues and competitions around the world, and his insightful tips have amassed a total readership in excess of 9.2 million till date. Elvis' meticulous attention to detail and strictly following SK's editorial guidelines have been key to achieving a vast readership. He has also exclusively covered the 2021 Nigerian Universiy Games and has provided research for an upcoming biography for a Nigerian football legend.

Elvis has been a Super Eagles fan since 2004, and them beating defending champions Cameroon in the AFCON that year left a lasting impact on him. He supports Sporting Lagos at club level and loves to watch games live at the Onikan Stadium due to its buzzing atmosphere. His favorite football players are former Nigerian forward, Osaze Odemwingie and former Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez.

If Elvis could change one football rule, it would be to not be booked for celebrating with pitch side fans. He believes that football is a passionate game and celebrations should be encouraged to the fullest. When not analyzing the latest previews, Elvis indulges in activities such as swimming, reading, and karaoke.

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