Vardy’s Brace Leads Cremonese to Victory Over Bologna

In a thrilling encounter, Jamie Vardy notched his first double in Serie A, leading Cremonese to a stunning victory over Bologna.

The astute former England and Leicester City striker delivered a decisive blow, handing Bologna their first home defeat of the season, a setback that denied them the chance to close the gap on joint leaders AC Milan and Napoli.

After Martin Payero’s opener in the 31st minute, it was Vardy's clever timing that saw him slip behind the Bologna defense, calmly slotting the ball past goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia just four minutes later, doubling Cremonese's lead with his characteristic poise.

Although Riccardo Orsolini’s penalty gave Bologna a glimmer of hope, Vardy answered back with authority, netting again just five minutes into the second half at the rain-soaked Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, effectively ending Cremonese’s three-match losing streak.

Reflecting on the match, Vardy quipped, “I think we were just missing a bit of rain – this is a typical midweek in the UK.”

He continued, “The most important thing was getting the three points and keeping that progress going. It's another step in the right direction.”

“It’s all about commitment and wanting what’s best for the club. Everyone's on that same page, and everyone's pushing forward to ensure that come the end of the season, it will have been a successful year.”

With this performance, Vardy now boasts four goals in nine matches for the promoted side, who currently sit in 11th place with 17 points from 13 matches.

Cremonese manager Davide Nicola sang Vardy’s praises, stating, “Great players are easy to handle as they know what they're supposed to do – and they know how to do it.”

Nicola further elaborated, “They set themselves apart for their qualities as players, but also for their spirit and how they behave. That’s how he is – he’s comfortable with who he is, good humoured. He came here with the mentality of making himself available for the team.”

Vardy joined Cremonese in September on a free transfer, penning a one-year deal with an extension clause should the club succeed in avoiding relegation.

His illustrious career at Leicester saw him score 200 goals in 500 appearances, leading the Foxes to an unforgettable Premier League title in 2015-16 and the famed FA Cup in 2021, all while earning seven caps for the England national team.