Coppa Titano, semi-finals: Tre Fiori and Folgore lay down a marker

The two Coppa Titano semi-finals have taken on a very clear shape after the first 90 minutes: Folgore and Tre Fiori will head into Wednesday night’s second legs with 2-0 and 3-0 advantages to defend respectively. For reigning champions La Fiorita, the path is particularly steep: Tre Fiori deliver a verdict that is striking in many respects at Montecchio, gaining revenge for the last cup final, which Montegiardino had won after a marathon penalty shoot-out. And it is from the spot that Borgagni’s side break the deadlock: Tamagnini is tripped in the box just after the half-hour mark and De Falco is flawless from 12 yards. Miori, who had already threatened in an early goalmouth scramble, goes close to making it 1-1 from a corner. La Fiorita’s task becomes even tougher just before the interval: Lasagni’s backline misreads a long clearance from Simoncini and Lentini opts for a delicate chip to guide home the goal that doubles the lead. On 54 minutes comes the 3-0, again with Lentini heavily involved: he leads a three-on-two counter-attack that goes via Dolcini before ending up in the net via a touch from Gjurchinoski: a wonderfully judged left-footed pass from the young Sammarinese to pick out the Croatian at the back post, arriving on cue and left with the simple task of steering the ball over the line. La Fiorita’s reaction immediately sends Guidi through on Simoncini after a clever lay-off by Lunadei: the Sammarinese goalkeeper is decisive in blocking the close-range effort from the striker. A couple of minutes later, another huge chance for Guidi: a rehearsed free-kick move releases the No.20 in front of goal, but the finish is rushed and the ball flies well wide. In the closing stages, La Fiorita’s pressure yields above all a long-range effort from Errico, beaten away by Simoncini, and, in added time, a right-footed strike from the edge by Gasperoni that also crashes against the gloves of Borgagni’s No.1. On Wednesday La Fiorita will have to scale a veritable Everest if they are to continue their title defence. Much the same applies to Domagnano, beaten 2-0 by Folgore in a match the Wolves played for a long stretch with ten men. Right from kick-off in Acquaviva, Colonna is called on to produce a crucial save, doing brilliantly to deny Fedeli in a one-on-one. Domagnano then grow into the game, but on 22 minutes they are living dangerously when Fedeli heads just over the bar from a precise Golinucci cross. Domagnano respond with a burst down the right from Bara and an intelligent cut-back for Brighi: the No.88 hits it first time but finds Hirsch in the way. Shortly afterwards, Nucci whips in a cross from the right and at the back post Pasini arrives and goes down under contact from Grieco. The referee points to the spot: Colonna saves Docente’s first attempt, but can do nothing on the follow-up, with the No.9 quickest to the loose ball and finishing from a metre out. The goal further fuels Folgore’s momentum and within three minutes they double their lead. Pasini catches it perfectly from the edge of the box: his first-time left-foot strike, powerful and arrowed, gives Colonna no chance, although the goalkeeper, like his team-mates, protests for an offside against Dormi that is deemed not to be interfering with play. Folgore almost make it three with a left-foot diagonal from Docente that shaves the far post. At the other end, Gueye gathers comfortably a powerful but central left-foot effort from Gaiani after a pass from Bara. On the stroke of half-time comes another key moment in the match: Parma raises his boot high in a challenge with Pasini and the referee decides it merits a straight red card. An enraged Domagnano see out the half trailing 2-0. After regrouping at the break, Mancini’s men try to claw their way back in the second half, but run into a Folgore side that drops deep with discipline and looks to threaten on the counter. Twice Angelini goes for Gueye’s goal with solo runs that end in shots lacking the necessary sting. It is Morena who truly threatens, unleashing a right-foot drive from distance that Gueye claws away with an excellent save low to his left, made even more difficult by the ball’s bounce on the rain-slick surface. Folgore do not push particularly hard to kill the tie off. In stoppage time, Giardi turns well in the box but hits the side-netting, while Domagnano have one final attempt through Morena from a free-kick: the No.14’s right-footer is well-directed, but Gueye’s flying save denies the Wolves a goal that would have made their Sunday rather less bitter and, above all, would have slightly eased the task awaiting them in the second leg. Here is the semi-final schedule:

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LA FIORITA Vivan, Gasperoni, Brighi (from 86' Santi), Miori, Grandoni, Errico, Loiodice (from 69' Gregori), Zafferani (from 52' Lunadei), Pancotti (from 52' Serra Sanchez), Zulli, Guidi Substitutes: Venturini, Bonifazi, Votino Coach: Oscar Lasagni   TRE FIORI A. Simoncini, Della Valle, Adami Martins, Grani, Censoni, Pracucci, De Falco (from 81' Ciccione), Tamagnini, Dolcini, Gjurchinoski, Lentini (from 88' Astolfi) Substitutes: Castagnoli, Ramundo, Savastano Coach: Gian Luca Borgagni   Referee: Luca Barbeno Assistants: Francesco Lunardon, Salvatore Tuttifrutti Fourth official: Giacomo Cenci Booked: Brighi, Pracucci, Loiodice, Gjurchinoski Scorers: 32' De Falco, 42' Lentini, 54' Gjurchinoski

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FOLGORE Gueye, Hirsch, Massari, Bonini (from 80' Spighi), Sottile, Nucci, Golinucci (from 85' Giardi), Pasini (from 76' Aluigi), Dormi, Docente, Fedeli Substitutes: Mignani, G. Francioni, Sabbadini, Cerquetti Coach: Omar Lepri   DOMAGNANO Colonna, Averhoff (from 59' Faetanini), Mazzavillani, Parma, Olivieri, Grieco, Bara, Gaiani, Brighi (from 78' Ricchi), Morena, Angelini Substitutes: Ermeti, A. Francioni, Semproli, Ceccaroli Coach: Massimo Mancini   Referee: Domenico de Girolamo Assistants: Andrea Guidi, Giovanni de Girolamo Fourth official: Alessandro Vandi Booked: Colonna, Faetanini, Sottile, Grieco, Pasini Sent off: Parma (straight red) Scorers: 28' Docente, 31' Pasini Note: on 28' Colonna saved a penalty from Docente

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