League: Academy and Domagnano leave it late

The battle for the last available spots to reach the post-season of the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301 is heating up. Wins for Domagnano and San Marino Academy pile the pressure on Faetano, who currently hold eleventh place only thanks to the head-to-head advantage this season – with the two sides set to face each other again next week. The goal that turns things around in Domagnano, in favour of the club from the namesake Castello, arrives right at the death. A perfect cross from Ceccaroli finds Babboni in the box; moving backwards, he still manages to generate both power and precision on his header, leaving Venturini with no chance. It is the 90'+3' and the Wolves can finally celebrate a return to winning ways, after taking just a single point from their previous five league outings. Bitter defeat for Folgore, who had an early goal ruled out because Fasan was in an offside position on Pancotti’s shot-cross. The Sammarinese winger is then denied by a brilliant reflex save from Colonna on 40 minutes, the Domagnano goalkeeper preserving a clean sheet – something the club had not managed since last 25 November. In the second half another Folgore goal is disallowed, this time from the Golinucci-Pancotti combination. In a match decided by occasional flashes of individual quality, the deadlock is finally broken in stoppage time, after Simeoni had gone close to putting Folgore ahead with a low drive that shaved the post. Adding to the pressure on Faetano and Libertas is the win for San Marino Academy. Cecchetti’s Under-22s need just 43 seconds to break the deadlock against Cailungo. The opener comes from ferocious pressing in the attacking third and a neat one-two between D'Addario and Bortolotto in tight space, with the latter free to beat Morelli from close range. Cailungo, recently handed to Roberto Sarti – their third coach of the season – react immediately and frequently threaten Borasco’s goal. There are muted appeals on 13 minutes for a coming together between Giambalvo and Quaranta in the Academy box, but the referee waves play on. The light-blue keeper is then tested by Raschi and Zonzini, before being saved by the crossbar on Gattei Colonna’s header on 44 minutes. Cailungo’s best chances come from set plays, and at the start of the second half it takes a superb reflex stop from Borasco, helped by the post, to deny Lago the equaliser. The goal is, however, very much in the air and arrives on 59 minutes when – from yet another corner – Zonzini finds the gap to restore parity. Academy re-emerge in the closing stages, which will prove decisive. First with a powerful surge from Giacopetti, whose low cross looks for Bortolotto in the six-yard box. The midfielder, a product of Newell's Old Boys, cannot quite reach it, but he will make amends. We are into the 90'+4' when Giacopetti wins the ball back in midfield, launching a deadly counter-attack. Luvisi’s shot is spilled by Morelli, allowing Bortolotto to wrap up a match-winning brace and spark celebrations on the San Marino Academy bench. No less impressive is the performance of San Giovanni, who faced Murata in Montecchio. Tognacci’s men claimed a hugely valuable victory, making the most of the only goal of the game. The first half ends goalless despite some interesting attacking moves from both sides, with little in the way of real work for Benedettini or De Angelis. It is a different story after the break, as the San Giovanni keeper has to arch his back within 30 seconds to keep out Raul Ura’s right-footed effort. The Rossoneri’s reply is far more clinical: Azael Garcia spreads the play to D’Angeli, then bursts into the box to meet his team-mate’s precise cross and steer home from close range. A textbook move and a beautifully crafted goal for San Giovanni, who then focus on protecting their lead. Despite Murata’s long spells of possession, the Rossoneri backline are seriously troubled only once. On 85 minutes Gaiani receives the ball in the area, skips past a defender and shoots across goal: De Angelis produces a monumental save, and is just as sharp on the ensuing tap-in attempt. A save that, as the old saying goes, is worth a goal – certainly as important as Garcia’s strike in sealing San Giovanni’s seventh league win of the season, leaving them four points behind Folgore, who sit seventh after today’s defeat. Tre Fiori, finally, deliver a statement performance. In Acquaviva, their meeting with Pennarossa ends in a comprehensive 3-0 win for the club from the Castello di Fiorentino. The Gialloblù go close to taking the lead early on but find Barbieri in outstanding form – superb on Fedeli’s right-footed effort and still effective, if not exactly textbook in style, on Luigi Rizzo’s subsequent left-footer. Tre Fiori also have a goal disallowed from a Mazzotti-Micchi move, the former Pisa striker’s starting position ruled offside. He makes amends with a scrappy finish in the box just before the half-hour. It is his third goal in as many matches, ensuring Cecconi’s absence is hardly being felt. Having broken the deadlock, Tre Fiori keep pushing: Barbieri again excels to deny Fedeli, while Micchi sees another goal chalked off for offside on the ensuing tap-in. After the restart Barbieri is called into action once more to thwart another surge from Luigi Rizzo, while Islamaj and Ciccione both squander headed chances to double the lead. When Bernardi hits the post on 62 minutes with the keeper beaten, Tre Fiori could have been forgiven for fearing a sting in the tail. That does not come, though, as the Gialloblù never take their foot off the gas and are further helped by a double numerical advantage – the result of red cards for Michelotti first and then Sehail. With two extra men, Mazzotti and his team-mates wrap it up late on. Fedeli from a Cirrottola assist, and then Cirrottola himself from a Ruocco pass, complete the treble that lifts Tre Fiori level, at least temporarily, with Tre Penne in fourth place on 39 points. In the 18:15 kick-off, Virtus do not slip up. The league leaders almost score after four minutes with a brilliant Buonocunto free-kick that comes back off the post. No matter for Bizzotto’s side, who break the deadlock five minutes later. Their trademark sweeping move frees Golinucci between the lines, who cuts inside and unleashes a powerful, pinpoint right-footed strike from twenty yards. The Borgo Maggiore club stir on 26 minutes when they force a fine save from Passaniti following a set-piece. Sperindio’s men try again before the half-hour through Buzi, whose shot-cross tests the opposition keeper. However, Libertas are often caught out of position at the back, allowing Del Prete to begin his man-of-the-match display by keeping out Pecci’s drive from the edge of the area. He then excels again with a double save on Buonocunto’s run down the flank on 38 minutes, keeping his side in contention. Before the break, Del Prete is also called into heroics to deny Benincasa, while at the other end Muci nutmegs Genestreti but loses his composure in front of Passaniti, who is again decisive in the follow-up – closing down Ottaviani. Libertas’ hopes fade with the red cards shown by Delvecchio to Buzi and Morelli on 56 and 70 minutes respectively. Between the two dismissals Tortori goes close to doubling the lead, and then does so on the hour mark. After a miraculous stop by Del Prete on Battistini, Tortori makes no mistake on the rebound. The Granata protest about an earlier contact between Tortori and Guglielmi, who remained on the ground as the move developed. Late on, a third goal remains out of Virtus’ reach despite them creating at least two clear-cut chances; they lack precision and composure in front of Del Prete – by far the best player on the pitch despite conceding twice. His superb flying save to deny Angeli what looked a certain goal on 88 minutes says it all. Virtus stay top of the table, temporarily five points clear of La Fiorita – who face Juvenes-Dogana tomorrow. Libertas, overtaken by Domagnano, now look ahead to their clash with the Academy, with Sperindio forced to do without two regular starters in Morelli and Buzi – both definitely out. Here is the partial picture from the 19th matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301, all broadcast live on TITANI.TV:

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