Ischia, the final Sardinian test is worth double: in Olbia to confirm the relaunch

Ischia Calcio returns to the road for the tenth matchday of the championship, and their morale is soaring. After home wins against Latte Dolce and Monastir, Simone Corino's team faces Olbia at the Nespoli stadium to complete the Sardinian triptych. It's anything but an easy match, at a time when the schedule is getting more demanding but also more exciting: for the Gialloblù, it's a matter of continuing their good run, seeking the consistency that can transform them into pure oxygen in the race for survival.

Away from the island, however, the numbers tell a different story: in four away games, Ischia has collected just two draws, with two goals scored and eight conceded. A statistic that Corino and his team want to reverse as soon as possible.

"Confidence comes from results, which in turn build self-esteem and quality. But we mustn't settle, because that risks becoming arrogant, and that's not the case with Ischia. If we're not ready to fight and we don't have the right mindset, we'll struggle again like we did at the start of the season. Now that we've tasted victory, we must have even more desire to earn it every Sunday," the Gialloblù coach explained in a press conference. Clear words, which encapsulate the philosophy of a growing team yet still searching for balance. The coach is banking on his players' mentality and hunger to tackle one of the toughest away games of the group.

Olbia, an experienced team built to dominate the top half of the table, enters the match with fifteen points from nine matches (four wins, three draws, and two defeats). The Gallura team has found rhythm and consistency: they're coming off three consecutive positive results, and in their last two matches, they've secured wins against Flaminia and Budoni. The Olbia coach favors a three-man defense, with the option of moving the wingers up and switching to a five-man defense when not in possession. In midfield, he can deploy either a strong five-man defense or an attacking midfielder to support the two strikers, who represent the team's offensive strength.

At the “Nespoli”, Olbia collected seven points out of twelve available: the only home defeat, a heavy one, came against Latte Dolce (1-6), an isolated episode in an otherwise solid path.

"Olbia is firmly in the playoff zone, aside from a couple of internal blunders. They're a team with four or five top-level players. Over the last ten years, they've played eight seasons in Lega Pro, so they have a solid structure and a diverse experience. They're a major club, and we need to show our best, knowing we're facing a team with confidence and top-tier players," added Corino.

Sunday's match will be the first league match between Ischia Calcio and Olbia, but the two clubs have met in the past, both in the Coppa Italia Semiprofessionisti and Serie C. There have been three previous meetings, all of them close and hard-fought: from 1976, when the Gialloblù eliminated the Gallura team in the quarterfinals with goals from Buonocore and Pugliese, to the 1980s, when Di Meglio decided the match at the "Mazzella" stadium with a narrow goal.

Corino will have to contend with several absences: in addition to Trofa and Castagna, Montanino and Arcamone will also be missing. The coach seems inclined to stick with the 4-3-3 formation, with Mariani favored over Gemito. In defense, Fontanelli and Buono will be on the flanks, while the central pairing is expected to consist of Chairiello and Aijo. In midfield, Sidibe could be used from the start, flanked by Di Lauro and Gille. Up front, Kone remains a key player, Manfrellotti is the clear choice to play as a center forward, and Boiano could complete the attacking trio starting on the wing.

The match will be officiated by Matteo Bevere of the Chivasso section, assisted by assistants Nicholas Di Blasio of Ostia Lido and Paolo Bianchi of Roma 1.