BKN301 Titano Cup: semi-finalists to be decided in two weeks

By Christmas we will know the four teams that will reach the semi-finals of the 2022-23 BKN301 Titano Cup. Tre Fiori are ready to make their debut at the quarter-final stage, having been exempted from the previous round as holders of the trophy. Tomorrow evening in Fiorentino (kick-off 20:45) they will play the first leg of their double-header against Virtus. The Acquaviva club are confirming the high levels already reached last season, and this year can rely on an in-form Ivan Buonocunto: named man of the match in each of Bizzotto’s last three league games, he is setting up team-mates – from set pieces and open play alike – with at times disarming ease. It is likely to be a clash between the two sides with the best output from dead-ball situations, another factor that should not be underestimated. Andy Selva’s Tre Fiori are the form team of the moment, the only side to have strung together five straight league wins. Virtus are not far behind, with four victories and a draw against Tre Penne, as well as the prestigious scalp of Cosmos taken in the round of 16. Whoever comes out on top will meet the winner of the tie between Murata and Folgore. The sides coached by Sarti and Lepri are not enjoying the brightest season in their history – to put it mildly: Folgore, San Marino champions in 2021 and Titano Cup finalists just six months ago, are enduring a campaign with plenty of lows and few highs, as underlined by their tenth place in the league, 14 points off the leaders. In the Titano Cup, after a goalless draw in the first leg, they booked their place in the quarters by beating San Giovanni 3-2. Even more thrilling was Murata’s route to earning the chance to face the Falciano club: trailing 3-1 after the first leg against Faetano, the Bianconeri produced a sensational four-goal comeback in the return match. While league satisfaction has been in short supply (Murata are the only side to have lost all of their last five games), in the Titano Cup Baldini and his team-mates can and want to go as far as possible. Kick-off in Montecchio is tomorrow at 20:45. Tre Penne will be looking to rediscover a winning streak, having lost top spot in the league due to three draws in their last five matches. The first of those came in Acquaviva, against Juvenes-Dogana. Tomorrow evening the San Marino runners-up will once again face the Serravalle club, currently perhaps the best exponents of the counter-attack in Sammarinese football. Manuel Amati carefully rationed the use of his most experienced and gifted players in the last league outing, a 3-3 draw with Faetano, clearly targeting a full-blooded tilt at the City club, who are second to none in terms of the quality and depth of their squad. The tie, whose outcome is anything but a foregone conclusion, will begin with the first leg tomorrow evening at the Ezio Conti in Dogana – kick-off at 20:45. At the same time, at the Acquaviva Stadium, Libertas and La Fiorita will also face off. Having recently met in the league – a narrow win for the Montegiardino club – they will lock horns again tomorrow evening (20:45). There are several talking points in a match that will mark Sperindio’s second outing on the Libertas bench, after a bitter debut against Tre Penne (albeit encouraging in terms of the football produced). La Fiorita boast the best defensive record in Sammarinese football and – while waiting to take their rest day – currently sit top of the league. Libertas, on the other hand, have lost ground on the leading pack, with just two points collected from their last five games. The only points, taken against Cailungo and Fiorentino, prompted the board to shake things up; the team must now show they have absorbed the club’s message. Here is the first-leg programme for the 2022-23 BKN301 Titano Cup quarter-finals, all available to watch live in full and free of charge on Titani.tv:

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