Albamonte's Hat-Trick Sinks Cosenza

"He was unplayable," said Bari winger David Moscati, and nobody in the San Nicola crowd of 24 November 2063 would argue. Alessandro Albamonte had just helped dismantle Cosenza with a hat-trick, and the scoreline – 4-0 – barely told the story of a night when Bari's finishing was ruthless and their striker relentless.

Cosenza arrived with ambition and left with nothing. They had 13 shots to Bari's six, nine corners to three, and still lost by four. Why? Because Albamonte took every chance that came his way. His three goals came from three shots on target, and he added a key pass for good measure. The rating of 9.7 was the highest on the pitch, and it was thoroughly deserved.

Bari were without key men. Claudio Fratti, Sergio Pocoví and Ricardo Pereira were all missing, and Leonardo Alessi, usually a central midfielder, was pushed out to the right wing. Yet the makeshift side clicked. Borja filled in for Fratti, Gennaro Nardelli slotted in at right-back, and the back four held firm. Steven González, the goalkeeper, made six saves – three parried – and also contributed an assist, a rare feat. Emerick Vandenameele completed 84 of 86 passes, and Moscati added a goal of his own.

Cosenza had their chances. Tiziano Muzzi had three shots worth 0.51 expected goals, but found no way past González. Luigi Del Colle created five key passes, and Léo, before being replaced at half-time, had three shots. But Bari's defence, marshalled by Paul Mbondi and Vandenameele, stood tall. The visitors' expected goals of 1.3 were never realised.

For Albamonte, this was a statement. The 25-year-old Italian has been at Bari since 2061, and his 29 goals in 85 games before this match spoke of a steady scorer. But a hat-trick against Cosenza, in a game where his team were outplayed for long spells, was something else. He ran 12.6 kilometres, pressed from the front, and when his chance came, he took it.

Bari's season has been one of resilience. They have had to cope with injuries and absences, and the partnership of Francesco Esposito and Moscati on the left has been crucial. Without one of them, Bari have struggled, but here they had both, and with Albamonte in this mood, they were unstoppable.

Cosenza will rue their missed opportunities. They had more of the ball in spells, more corners, more shots, but football is decided by goals. And on this night, there was one man who knew where the net was. As the teams walked off, the home fans chanted Albamonte's name. He may not be a household name across Italy yet, but performances like this will not go unnoticed.

Bari move on with confidence, while Cosenza must regroup. For Albamonte, it was a night to remember – and a warning to defences everywhere. "He was unplayable," Moscati repeated, and who could disagree?