Bologna took a significant step toward securing a top-four finish in Serie A with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Hellas Verona at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.
The win, their first at this venue in six attempts, moved them within two points of the Champions League spots.
Coming into the game, Vincenzo Italiano’s side had been in impressive form, suffering just one defeat in 2025 (W5, D4). With Verona struggling near the relegation zone, Bologna saw this as an opportunity to keep the pressure on their rivals above them.
The opening half lacked real rhythm, with frequent fouls disrupting the flow of play. Neither team was able to assert dominance early on, and clear chances were scarce.
Amin Sarr fired wide from a difficult angle, while Nicolas Valentini sent a header over the bar. Meanwhile, Bologna struggled to create any meaningful opportunities, until a moment of brilliance gave them the lead just before halftime.
Davide Calabria delivered a pinpoint pass to Jens Odgaard, who controlled the ball well before calmly slotting it into the bottom corner.
After the restart, Bologna pushed for a second goal and came close on multiple occasions.
Lorenzo Montipo produced a stunning save to deny Odgaard his brace, and the Verona goalkeeper was also equal to Riccardo Orsolini’s low-driven effort from the edge of the box.
Verona thought they had found an equalizer around the hour mark when Casper Tengstedt managed to beat Lukasz Skorupski at the second attempt.
However, their celebrations were cut short as the goal was ruled out for offside.
Bologna continued to apply pressure, with Michel Aebischer forcing another good stop from Montipo.
Their task became easier in the final 10 minutes when Valentini received a second yellow card, reducing Verona to 10 men.
Despite this setback, the hosts nearly drew level when Tengstedt fired over from close range.
Montipo had been solid for much of the match, but he will want to forget Bologna’s second goal. Nicolo Cambiaghi’s effort lacked power but somehow squirmed under the goalkeeper’s grasp, doubling the visitors’ lead.
Verona responded almost immediately, as Daniel Mosquera bundled the ball over the line at the second attempt, setting up a tense finish.
However, with their numerical advantage, Bologna managed to see out the game without allowing Verona to build momentum.
The victory, just their second in seven away league matches, provided a timely boost for Bologna and Italiano. Meanwhile, Verona remain precariously positioned, only four points clear of the relegation zone, with their battle for survival far from over.
