League: among the big three only Virtus win, two 0-0 draws in Montecchio and Acquaviva

Tre Penne fail to protect the lead given to them by Berardi and, after losing Loiodice to a red card, allow Folgore back on level terms before squandering a penalty awarded deep into stoppage time. The match in Fiorentino bursts into life immediately. A long ball from Badalassi sends Berardi through and he is brought down by De Angelis just outside the box. Only a yellow card for the Folgore goalkeeper, amid protests from Bonini’s men. The free-kick is taken by Pastorelli, who rattles the junction of post and bar – with De Angelis getting a decisive touch. Tre Penne camp in the opposition half. Peluso goes close to the opener, heading from close range towards De Angelis’ goal: the keeper keeps it out with a volleyball-style bagher on the number 10’s not particularly well-placed effort. On 25 minutes Ferrani heads just over from a corner, but within 2 minutes Tre Penne can celebrate a deserved lead thanks to a solo effort by Berardi, who takes Loiodice’s ball out wide, drives at Castorina and blasts a powerful left-footer inside De Angelis’ near post. Folgore try to ease the pressure with a left-footed effort from distance by Pancotti, comfortable for Migani. But Tre Penne are not done yet. Errico pounces on a suicidal pass from Tourè and finds himself shooting from a glorious position, with the goal gaping in front of him: his diagonal effort drifts wastefully wide. The second half opens with a one-two between Augusto Garcia Rufer and Pancotti on the edge of the box: the former San Giovanni man tries to curl a right-footer, but it’s straight at the keeper. After a long-range strike from D’Addario that briefly worries De Angelis, Folgore are back knocking on Migani’s door through Pancotti (right-footed shot down the middle) and especially Augusto Garcia Rufer, whose drive from outside the box clips the post. Shortly after, Cateni also has a go (a curling right-footer wide) and Miori forces Migani into a tricky save. Tre Penne push back up the pitch and from a corner are dangerous again through Ferrani, whose header goes just wide. With a quarter of an hour remaining, Loiodice goes in hard on Miori and receives his second yellow of the day. Folgore immediately try to make the most of it with a central surge from Adami Martins that ends in a shot with no real angle. Tre Penne threaten again from a set piece: once more Ferrani slips his marker and connects with a header, but finds De Angelis equal to it. The man disadvantage eventually proves costly on 84 minutes: Ura cuts in from the left and unleashes a shot that, deflected, leaves Migani helpless. Tre Penne almost restore their lead straight away through Casadio, whose close-range right-footer forces a brilliant save with the feet from De Angelis. The sand in the hourglass is almost gone when Fall dives in recklessly on Casadio: the referee points to the spot. The biggest ball of the match, and perhaps of Tre Penne’s season, is handed to Pastorelli, who sends it wide. No fifth straight win for Bonini’s side, who also lose ground on Virtus, the only member of the Fantastic Three to claim maximum points.

The reigning champions take a few risks after seemingly putting the Domagnano game to bed, but in the end see out three points of enormous significance in the title race. It all looks straightforward for Bizzotto’s men: in the 33rd minute Zenoni – who had already struck the bar while mis-hitting a cross – runs at Maggioli and lays the ball on a plate for Golinucci for an easy tap-in; then, on 40 minutes, Lombardi races down the right and fires in a low cross which, slightly deflected, reaches Benincasa perfectly, the poacher at the back post. Midway through the second half the contest appears over: Piscitella serves up a chocolate pass for Scappini, who tucks it away at the near post to complete Virtus’ third and notch his 15th goal of the league campaign. Soon after Rinaldi almost adds a fourth, but finds a very alert Papi in his way. Despite the heavy deficit and the momentum against them, Domagnano deserve credit for staying in the game. They pull it back to 3-1 on 72 minutes thanks to a thunderous strike from Santi from the edge of the area, the ball crashing in off the underside of the bar. Then, after Amati flashes a diagonal effort just wide, they throw the game wide open: Ferraro’s diagonal is unstoppable after being “teed up” by Sopranzi. At this point Virtus lose their composure and everything seems possible. Amati goes agonisingly close to 3-3 with a skimming left-footer that drifts just wide. Ferraro then tries his luck with a curling right-footed effort that sails over. Deep into stoppage time Virtus could finally kill it off: Lombardi goes through one-on-one with Papi, who wins the duel. A venial sin for Bizzotto’s side, who still celebrate the win and get back on track after the two painful defeats suffered against Tre Fiori.

The latter are held to a 0-0 draw by La Fiorita but remain alone at the top, albeit with just a one-point cushion over Virtus. The first clear-cut chance in Montecchio comes on the counter and falls to La Fiorita. Affonso drives into the box from the right-hand side and tries to catch Nardi out at the near post, but without success. Affonso has another go shortly before the midway point of the half: the former Murata man looks for the curling finish from the edge of the box, but there is no real venom in his left foot. Prandelli, who had been quiet up to that point, catches a dropping ball on the volley from the edge of the area and smashes it against the post. Tre Fiori threaten again on 40 minutes, when Mattia Sancisi collects Benedettini’s deep cross and picks out Scarcella, whose diagonal effort whistles just past the post and is also close to turning into an assist for Prandelli. The half ends with another attempt from La Fiorita: Lunadei swings a leg at it somewhat awkwardly from the edge of the box but still sends it just over. As in the first half, the second begins with Affonso to the fore again, weaving into the area and trying to beat Nardi with a curling right-footer – that, however, fails to curl. After the hour mark Affonso turns provider for Zaccaria, who after a driving run tries to beat the keeper at the near post, but shoots wide. Affonso remains the most dangerous and inspired player on the pitch. In the 67th minute La Fiorita’s number 17 shapes up on the D and unleashes a right-footed strike destined for the bottom corner, but for Nardi’s sensational diving save. The momentum stays with the Montegiardino side, even if on 70 minutes Nardi is called into a much more routine stop on Golia’s tame left-footer. In the closing stages Tre Fiori resurface in attack. Benedettini in particular comes to the fore, first drawing a save from Zavoli with a right-footed effort from 16 metres in the 83rd minute, then squandering an even bigger chance by firing over from the heart of the penalty area. In the remaining time, neither of the yellow-and-blue sides manages to break the deadlock. Tre Fiori slow down after three straight wins, while La Fiorita confirm their up-and-down form, though extending an unbeaten run that now stretches to seven matches.

Juvenes Dogana and San Marino Academy also finish goalless, although in the end all the regrets belong to Di Maio’s young Biancoazzurri, who fail to make the most of a large chunk of the second half played with a two-man advantage. The first half offers little in the way of emotion. It is mainly Juvenes Dogana who try to “rebel” against the 0-0, mostly with long-range efforts, all off target. Giovagnoli, Riccardo Colonna and Gaiani try in that order. The latter is far more dangerous at the end of the half. His left-footed strike on the bounce from the edge of the area is an almost perfect piece of technique: almost, because the ball ultimately does not go in, shaving the top corner on its way over. San Marino Academy’s first shot on target arrives at the start of the second half from the boot of Renzi, who takes on a free-kick from 20 metres: well-directed right-footer but weak, and Davide Colonna gathers. Juvenes Dogana respond immediately with Riccardo Colonna’s run into the box and the captain’s first-time effort, too tame to trouble Conti despite Gaiani’s excellent assist and the favourable position from which he strikes. Gaiani himself goes for glory from a corner situation, but shoots over. A minute later Juvenes are down to ten men: Giannini, already booked and beaten by a sombrero from Righi, catches the Academy number 47 in the side and receives a second yellow. On 65 minutes the red cards become two: Renzi releases Protti in behind, the forward races away from the defence and is brought down by Davide Colonna just outside the box. Battistini goes in goal for Juvenes. And the former San Marino Academy keeper is quickly called into action, flying to tip away Righi’s free-kick, which looked set to “die” just inside the post covered by the wall. The Juvenes keeper is decisive again on Markaj’s close-range effort after Mattia Ciacci’s header from a corner. The Under-22s make another attempt to cash in on their two-man advantage: this time Markaj nods the ball down for the unmarked Riccardi, who tries to place his finish from around the penalty spot, but once again finds Battistini in his way – the keeper needing only a relatively short cameo to earn man-of-the-match honours.

Here is the full slate of fixtures for Matchday 26 of the 2025-26 Campionato Sammarinese:

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