Futsal Championship: Virtus-La Fiorita the main course of matchday four

Matchday four of the 2022-23 San Marino Futsal Championship is approaching, with joint leaders Fiorentino and Folgore set to battle it out from a distance. Fiorentino, coached by Michelotti, are already on court tomorrow as they chase a fourth consecutive league win, this time against unbeaten Faetano. After victories over Tre Penne and Pennarossa, either side of a draw with Murata, Corbelli’s men will have a late-night test in Dogana (21:45) against one of the favourites for the title. There is plenty of interest around the Juvenes-Dogana project: Claudio Zonzini’s team are on maximum points, like Folgore and Fiorentino, despite having already observed their rest round. In the league they have beaten Cosmos and San Giovanni, while in the Titano Futsal Cup they saw off Domagnano in the first leg of the Round of 16. Tomorrow, again in Dogana, they will face Cailungo – still on zero points (20:15). That is not the case for San Giovanni and Domagnano, who are set to meet in Fiorentino (20:15). Both have one win to their name: Domagnano on the opening day (3-0 against Tre Penne) and San Giovanni last time out (3-2 versus Cailungo). Before that, Gualtieri’s men suffered two consecutive defeats, while Mussoni’s Wolves collected a single point – earned in two tightly contested games with La Fiorita and Tre Fiori. Cosmos are also in action early, facing Libertas in Acquaviva (20:15). Muccioli’s and Penserini’s sides are still hunting their first league victory. On paper, the Granata look slight favourites – if only because in the first leg of the Titano Futsal Cup Round of 16, Davide Rossi and his team-mates defeated their upcoming opponents 5-1. The evening’s late fixtures will be Murata-Tre Fiori and Virtus-La Fiorita (21:45). The first of these will be played in Dogana, between two teams level on four points. Both the Bianconeri and the Gialloblù have recorded one win, one draw and one defeat. Bugli’s side have had a particularly demanding start to the season: after the Supercup against Folgore, they faced La Fiorita, Domagnano and Fiorentino. Now comes the test against Murata, from which Boschi and his team want to extract the maximum. At the same time, on the artificial surface in Fiorentino, comes what is probably the most attractive match of round four: Virtus and La Fiorita, both still unbeaten, will go head-to-head for the top spots. The Neroverdi sit third, level with Faetano, on seven points. The San Marino runners-up, who have recently handed the reins to Davide Ghiotti (facing his former club), are eager to rediscover their feeling for victory after a surprise defeat in the Titano Futsal Cup to Pennarossa (4-3) and a league draw with Domagnano (2-2). Virtus, needless to say, will be aiming to extend their positive run in the league and finally shake off the lingering effects of their cup exit to Faetano (2-0). The round concludes with Tuesday night’s late fixture between Folgore and Pennarossa. In Dogana, from 21:15, the Falciano club – currently holders of all three San Marino futsal trophies – will be chasing a fifth win of the season in all competitions. Lining up against them is a combative Pennarossa side, who recently – as mentioned – tripped up La Fiorita. Casadei’s men return to league action after their rest round and are determined to show that the heavy defeat suffered against Fiorentino on matchday two was nothing more than the product of a disastrous evening. Against Folgore, the Biancorossi will primarily be seeking solidity and certainty, qualities they want to display even against a side expected to fight for the title until the very end, as well as, of course, targeting their first league points. Here are the fixtures and match official appointments for matchday four of the 2022-23 San Marino Futsal Championship:

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