BKN301 Championship: Virtus hit nine out of nine

Virtus hit nine out of nine. Luigi Bizzotto’s side produced the perfect response to the wins of their closest challengers and, with a resounding 6-1 over Faetano, wrapped up their ninth victory in as many games to stay top of the BKN301 Championship. The Neroverdi started strongly and were already ahead on nine minutes: Buonocunto took a short corner, rolling the ball low into the box for Tortori, who lost his marker brilliantly and struck first time to perfection for the opener. On the half-hour they doubled their lead with Andrea Montanari’s first goal in Neroverde colours: a deep ball from Rinaldi, Casadei failed to get his head to it and it ran through to the former Tre Penne player, who beat Pelliccioni. As well as a wonderfully functioning attack, Virtus can also rely on an almost impenetrable defence (only four goals conceded, the best in the league) marshalled by Alex Passaniti. Shortly after the second goal, the Neroverde goalkeeper shut the door on Brisigotti’s attempt that could have reopened the contest. At the end of the first half came the third for the Acquaviva club: Montanari picked out a deep run from Benincasa who, from inside the area, met it on the volley and produced a fantastic finish. In the second half Virtus continued their symphony and, early on, Buonocunto, from the edge of the box, curled a perfect effort into the top corner. Faetano tried to react and on 53 minutes they too scored a fine goal to reduce the deficit: Lisi controlled on the left and cut inside before unleashing a precise right-footed shot past Passaniti. The goal did not rattle the Neroverdi, though, and in the 68th minute they made it 5-1. Handball by Acquarelli in the box and it was a penalty: Pecci stepped up and made no mistake. On 75 minutes came the sixth goal, scored by a sixth different player, underlining the strength in depth of the Neroverde squad: substitute Angeli met Pecci’s cross and headed past Pelliccioni. Virtus thus defeat Faetano and move back four points clear of Tre Penne at the top. Cosmos returned to winning ways in the Serravalle derby against Juvenes-Dogana. Berardi’s Gialloverdi had not tasted victory since as far back as 8 October, and this success provides a real morale boost for the San Marino vice-champions. Cosmos flew out of the blocks and, after hitting the woodwork twice in the same move, took a deserved lead on 15 minutes: Raschi held Zulli in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Prandelli took responsibility and converted. The goal further fired up the Gialloverdi, who shortly afterwards also had a Rizzitelli effort ruled out. It mattered little to Berardi’s team, who on the half-hour doubled their lead again through Prandelli: a pinpoint cross from Filippo Berardi found the head of the Gialloblù striker, who got in front of Gentilini to make it 2-0. Juvenes-Dogana tried to react and soon after Pasquinelli let fly from the edge of the area, but Aldo Simoncini produced a fine save to deny him. The knockout blows arrived at the start of the second half: Cosmos scored twice in the space of two minutes, effectively securing the three points. On 48 minutes it was once again Prandelli – the man of the match – who completed his hat-trick: great work down the right by Zulli, who reached the byline and drilled the ball powerfully across for his team-mate to beat Gentilini again for 3-0. The fourth was scored by a rejuvenated Zulli, who capped a superb performance with a thunderous strike from distance on 50 minutes to make it 4-0. The advantage could have been five when Di Maio’s header looked destined for the net, but Gentilini produced a stunning reflex save to deny the San Marino defender. Juvenes-Dogana pushed for a consolation, yet Simoncini thwarted Stella with a spectacular stop. The derby therefore went the way of Cosmos who, thanks to this win, overtake their Juvenes-Dogana cousins to move into sixth place on 14 points, still some way, however, from the leading quintet (Murata are fifth with 21 points). The only draw in the ninth round’s late fixtures came between Libertas and San Giovanni. After Torsani hit the post, Libertas took the lead on the half-hour: contact in the box between Contadini and Santoni, the Granata player went to ground and the referee pointed to the spot. Santoni himself took the penalty and converted to put Libertas in front. Right at the end of the first half came a huge chance for a San Giovanni equaliser: D’Angeli shot from the edge of the area, the ball was twice deflected by Granata defenders but Elia Benedettini stretched brilliantly to keep it out. At the start of the second half an even bigger opportunity fell the way of Tognacci’s Rossoneri: a long ball forward from Celli for D’Angeli, who controlled and found himself one-on-one with Elia Benedettini, but the former Juvenes-Dogana man, from a great position, incredibly failed to hit the target. The San Giovanni equaliser did eventually arrive on 68 minutes: D’Angeli’s right-footed effort was once again parried by Benedettini, but on the rebound Montebelli pounced like a hawk and fired home for the final 1-1 scoreline. The BKN301 Championship will now resume in two weeks’ time due to the international window, which will see both Fabrizio Costantini’s senior national team (away to Kazakhstan and then at home to Finland) and Matteo Cecchetti’s Under-21s in action (hosting Italy on Thursday at the San Marino Stadium). Here is the full picture from matchday nine:

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