An Italian team celebrates a historic victory after decades of struggle. A German ensures Pisa’s decisive goal.
For 34 years, SC Pisa had to wait for this moment: After more than three decades, the traditional club, which had fallen into deep decline in the meantime, has finally won a victory in Serie A again.
The promoted team prevailed on the 11th matchday with 1:0 (0:0) against Cremonese – the decisive goal was scored by the former German U19 international Idrissa Touré with a header.
“I said before the match that I would score a goal. Now, of course, I am all the more pleased and hope that this adventure continues,” said the 27-year-old Touré, who moved to Italy from the second team of Werder Bremen in 2018 and has been under contract in Pisa since 2021.
Relegation and last victory in 1991
With the club from the “Tower City”, Touré had managed the return to Serie A this year, from which Pisa had been relegated in 1991 – as a result, the club had temporarily only played in the fourth division.
In the last victory in Italy’s elite league, the later insolvent club was still called AC Pisa, in the 1:0 on May 12, 1991 against AS Bari, the young Diego Simeone, today’s coach monument at Atlético Madrid, played in Pisa’s midfield.
Against Cremonese, Pisa dominated the game from the start, but remained goalless until the 75th minute. Only then did Touré score with a header and secure the team’s first three points in Serie A since their promotion in the summer.
Pisa coach cheers: “A gift for all of us”
“My team could have lost courage in the difficult moments, but they didn’t,” said coach Alberto Gilardino, former striker star in Italy’s national team: “Today is a gift for all of us and the effort in the past weeks.”
Gilardino had become the successor of successful coach Filippo Inzaghi after the promotion. In the first ten games of the season, Pisa achieved six draws and four defeats. With Touré, a native of Berlin finally provided the long-awaited success.