Nigerian forward Gift Orban made an immediate impact on his return from suspension, providing an assist as Hellas Verona staged a spirited comeback to defeat Bologna 2–1 in their Serie A clash on Sunday.
The crucial victory ended Verona’s 12-game winless run and offered renewed hope in their battle against relegation.
Orban, 23, had missed Verona’s previous two league fixtures after receiving a red card just 11 minutes into the club’s 2–1 defeat to Parma. But the Nigerian wasted little time reminding fans of his importance, playing a decisive role in Verona’s first league win since December.
The opening half proved cagey, with Bologna enjoying the bulk of possession while Verona carved out the clearer chances. Despite moments of promise from both sides, neither team managed to break the deadlock before the interval.
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The game sprang to life shortly after the restart. The hosts struck first in the 49th minute when Jonathan Rowe found the net to give Bologna the lead.
However, Verona responded almost immediately. Just four minutes later, Martin Frese restored parity with a superb left-footed strike from outside the box that beat goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Verona completed the turnaround few minutes later. Orban turned provider, setting up Kieron Bowie, who calmly finished to score his first goal for the club and hand the visitors a 2–1 lead.
Bologna pressed hard in the closing stages in search of a late equaliser, but Verona’s defence held firm to secure just their second away win of the league campaign.
Despite the morale-boosting victory, Verona remain 19th in the standings with 18 points from 28 matches. The win, however, trimmed the gap between them and 17th-placed Fiorentina to seven points, keeping alive their hopes of survival.
With Orban back and already proving influential, head coach Paolo Sammarco will be eager for his side to build momentum when they host Genoa, who currently sit 15th, in their next Serie A fixture on Sunday, March 15.
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