Hellas Verona vs Dolomiti Bellunesi

Marco Baroni's side started brightly. Amin Sarr tested visiting goalkeeper Sonzogni in the 8th minute with a shot from distance that was tipped onto the crossbar. But Dolomiti Bellunesi, organised in a compact 4-4-2 under Andrea Bonatti, grew into the half despite a mounting injury crisis.

Three forced changes inside the opening 39 minutes disrupted the Bellunesi shape: full-back Masut left with a knee problem (17'), centre-back Gobetti after a blow to the ribs (29'), and forward Toci following a sharp pain after an attempted backheel (39'). The absences did not phase them. On 33 minutes, substitute Mondonico produced a spectacular bicycle kick from inside the six-yard box that required a reflex save from Verona goalkeeper Perilli — the hosts' best chance of the half.

Just before the interval, Verona hit the woodwork for a second time when Harroui struck the right post with a right-footed shot. From the resulting play, the Gialloblu won a corner. Suslov delivered towards the near post and Sarr rose to glance a header past Sonzogni. 1-0 at the break.

The second half was subdued. Baroni made seven changes across the 90 minutes, introducing Leali, Korac, Cerbone, Cham, Tagne, Vermesan, Akale, Isaac, Charlys and Yellu at various intervals. The best openings fell to Suslov (72'), whose long-range effort was saved by Sonzogni, and Isaac moments later, again denied by the Bellunesi goalkeeper. Dolomiti rarely threatened after the restart.

Sarr's 45th-minute goal — timed at the stroke of half-time and coming immediately after Harroui's shot hit the post — was the decisive moment. Dolomiti Bellunesi had offered genuine threat through Mondonico's acrobatic effort and had weathered Verona's early pressure. Conceding from a corner in first-half stoppage time, with three walking wounded already replaced, swung the momentum decisively. Baroni's side never looked likely to concede a second-half equaliser.

Amin Sarr (Hellas Verona) — The Swedish striker scored the only goal and forced Sonzogni's early save onto the crossbar. His movement in the box and hold-up play were the focal point of Verona's attack in the first hour.

Sonzogni (Dolomiti Bellunesi) — The Bellunesi goalkeeper made at least four saves of note: tipping Sarr's 8th-minute strike onto the bar, denying Suslov's drive, and stopping Isaac's effort in the second half. Kept the scoreline respectable.

Perilli (Hellas Verona) — The Verona goalkeeper produced the save of the match, getting down sharply to deny Mondonico's 33rd-minute bicycle kick.

Player of the match: Amin Sarr (Hellas Verona) — scorer of the decisive goal and a constant threat before being substituted on 66 minutes.

The 1-0 scoreline tells only part of the story. The match had two distinct phases: Verona's early control (Sarr's crossbar, Harroui's post) and Dolomiti Bellunesi's best chance before half-time (Mondonico's bicycle). The three first-half injuries to the away side make their competitive display before the interval more impressive. Second-half substitutions on both sides — Verona made seven changes, Bellunesi six — disrupted any rhythm. That Dolomiti Bellunesi, a Serie C newcomer, could match a Serie A side for spells speaks to their organisation under Bonatti.

Hellas Verona complete their Folgaria training camp with three wins from three friendlies. The squad returns to Verona on Monday to continue preparations at the Sporting Center Paradiso. Their next pre-season friendly is against Lecco on 2 August at Villafranca (17:30 BST). Baroni will hope to integrate Bradaric and Frese, who were rested as a precaution.

For Dolomiti Bellunesi, newly promoted to Serie C for the 2026-27 season, this was a useful test against top-flight opposition. The three first-half injuries — Masut, Gobetti and Toci — are a concern ahead of their competitive campaign, though the performance before their enforced changes offered encouragement.

A routine pre-season win for Hellas Verona, secured by Sarr's well-timed header just before the break. The scoreline could have been different had Mondonico's bicycle kick found the net, but Verona's second-phase quality from set pieces proved decisive. Baroni's squad rotation in the second half kept legs fresh without sacrificing control. For Dolomiti Bellunesi, the injuries are the story — their on-field performance until the 39th minute suggested they will be competitive in Serie C.