Mehdi Dorval ends goal drought in Italian football

Algerian international defender Mehdi Dorval has found the net again after a 14-month goal drought. His last goal was scored on August 24, 2025, for Bari against Venezia in the Italian Serie B. On Saturday evening, Dorval scored for his current club, Catanzaro, in the 28th minute of their match against Padova during the tenth round of the Serie B season. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. Following this result, Catanzaro remains in 20th and last place with 6 points, while Padova sits in 7th place with 14 points. Dorval participated in the Africa Cup of Nations last December but was not called up by coach Vladimir Petkovic for the World Cup qualifiers in June.