BKN301 Championship: end of the road for San Giovanni and Fiorentino

They needed two wins and instead suffered two defeats, bringing their season to a premature end. Fiorentino and San Giovanni, following Cailungo, see their hopes of reaching the post-season come to an end. Tomorrow the last contender will be cut: among Murata, Juvenes-Dogana, Domagnano, Faetano and Pennarossa, one side will miss out on the Preliminary Round, scheduled already for the middle of next week (Wednesday 26 April, 20:45). There is regret for San Giovanni, who create plenty but fail to finish properly, once again paying dearly – even in the most important match of the year – for their lack of familiarity with goals, a recurring theme throughout the season (an exact average of one goal per game in the league). Libertas, by contrast, score at the first attempt. Ben Kacem threads a pass through for Bucci, who shifts the ball onto his left foot and finds the top corner from twenty metres. At the other end, Nicola Sartini fails to take advantage of three glorious chances to equalise, as does Lisi, who has all the time to set the ball on his left – right in the box – before blasting over. The Granata, instead, are ruthlessly more clinical. After a fine save by Nigro on Bucci, Ben Kacem breaks away into open space: the Moroccan forward is unstoppable and, when through on goal, lays it on a plate for Sapori to tap into an empty net for 2-0. San Giovanni keep chasing a deserved goal, which only comes far too late. Libertas have already made it three through Ben Kacem (35') when Tognacci's side win the penalty for 1-3, converted by Bruma. Before the interval, two miraculous saves by Matteo Zavoli – first on Bruma’s scissor-kick and then on Stefano Sartini’s follow-up – allow Sperindio’s team to maintain their two-goal lead at the halfway mark. Early in the second half, Kuqi is denied by the post, a few minutes before Berardi strikes the crossbar at the other end. San Giovanni do not give up, but their finishing woes remain and it takes sharp reflexes from Nigro to deny Bucci a brace shortly after the hour. As the minutes tick by, the tempo drops, although Tognacci’s men keep pushing to the end: on 85 minutes Nicola Sartini frees Montebelli with a back-heel in front of the goalkeeper, but the striker, who started on the bench, fires straight at Zavoli. The Granata’s fourth remains out of reach despite chances for Sapori and Guglielmi. Libertas finish the regular season in sixth place and will face one of Virtus or Tre Fiori. Like San Giovanni, Fiorentino also lose and are eliminated from the play-offs. Both finish the league on 23 points, two shy of Faetano who – as things stand – occupy the last spot granting access to the post-season. The match in Montecchio is less spectacular and more nervy, with Folgore claiming a win that secures seventh place in the standings. This outcome allows Lepri’s team to avoid the Preliminary Round and to prepare a two-legged quarter-final against whoever finishes the season in fourth: either Tre Fiori or Virtus. The match is decided by a Sartori penalty, after a couple of good chances missed by Folgore. On the half-hour mark, a coming together in the area between Sottile and Bernardi is penalised, leading to the penalty converted by the winger. Fiorentino do little to try and turn the score around, and in fact it is Folgore who fail to make the most of good openings through Piscaglia and, above all, Urbinati – who spurns two clear chances. The first threatening moment from the Rossoblù comes from a solo move by former player Hirsch, who cuts inside but sends his left-footed effort off target. Not even a huge blunder by Pollini on 58 minutes brings Fiorentino level, as Hirsch’s seemingly certain goal is blocked by Piscaglia, perfectly positioned. The last remaining hopes for Malandri’s side are dashed in the 70th minute, when one word too many from Lorenzo Sottile prompts Zani to brandish a second yellow card for the Fiorentino midfielder. A costly lapse in judgement that effectively ends a match which Folgore fail to kill off with Ahmetovic and Bernardi. Between those two chances comes Fiorentino’s second dismissal of the day: Mastrota is also sent off early, following a second booking in the 86th minute. This is the picture after the early kick-offs of the final matchday of the 2022-23 BKN301 Campionato Sammarinese. All fixtures will be broadcast live with commentary on TITANI.TV.

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