League: goal-fests in Saturday’s late kick-offs as Fiorentino reignites play-off race

In the first of the two Sunday fixtures, both moved to the Ezio Conti in Dogana as the only ground spared by the snowstorm that hit San Marino, Fiorentino sweep aside Juvenes-Dogana and reshape the balance of power in the race for a place in the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301 post-season, which will offer a single berth in the First Qualifying Round of the next UEFA Europa Conference League. The standout performers are at opposite ends of Malandri’s starting XI – the centre-forward and the goalkeeper. While Torsani takes centre stage with a brace that delivers a precious win, Bianchi effectively signs off the Rossoblù victory, denying Juvenes-Dogana the chance to score before it would no longer have mattered. From the opening minutes, when the Serravalle club looked the sharper side, the Fiorentino keeper showed he was in outstanding form. That allowed his team, once they had broken the deadlock, to take the lead on the half-hour mark with a clinical diagonal finish from Torsani at the end of a sustained move. The goal frees Fiorentino mentally, who frequently look dangerous. Yet it is Juvenes-Dogana who have the clearest chance through Benedetti on 55 minutes, but he has to bow to Bianchi’s reflexes – the keeper smothering the attempt from just a few metres out. A real sliding door moment for Girotti’s men – the coach standing in for the suspended Amati – which just two minutes later turns into Fiorentino’s second goal. Naturally scored by Torsani, who first hits the bar from barely a metre out, then makes amends as the move continues, tucking away the 2-0. Juvenes-Dogana throw men forward to get back into the game, but Bianchi twice denies Merli, while at the other end Torsani and D’Addario squander chances for a third. Malandri’s keeper then adds the exclamation mark to a sensational display by saving a Merli penalty, awarded by Villa for a D’Addario-Tumidei challenge. After another missed chance by Torsani, Juvenes-Dogana finally find the net, cruelly for them, when it is already too late, exploiting the D’Angeli-Benedetti combination to pierce Bianchi’s guard – on a day when he appeared almost unbeatable. A hugely important win for Fiorentino, who leapfrog their opponents on the night, dropping the Biancorossazzurri into second-from-bottom on 12 points. To understand just how tight the battle for the play-offs is, it is enough to note that Faetano – seventh in the table – are only four points better off. In this respect, the late game between San Giovanni and Pennarossa could further underline how many sides are bunched within a handful of points. The top five are now some way clear, and Libertas – sixth in the standings – are also pushing in that direction. The Granata, like Virtus, both won their respective early kick-offs against Folgore and Domagnano. Kicking off simultaneously at 18:30, they hit their targets in very different ways. Sperindio’s men suffer two slow starts to each half, conceding the opening goal as early as the 7th minute to Serafini. The midfielder capitalises on a poor parry from Zavoli on Bernardi’s cross to break the deadlock. Libertas’ response is entrusted to Bucci, wasteful on two occasions before producing an impeccable finish past Pollini: on 43 minutes, making the most of a fine assist from Barlafante, he makes no mistake. Earlier, former Folgore player Enrico Golinucci had tested Zavoli from medium range. After the restart, Lepri and Sperindio both introduce their first-choice forwards, initially rested with Wednesday 25 January’s first legs of the Coppa Titano semi-finals in mind. It is, however, Sperindio’s attackers who prove decisive after Folgore regain the lead through Brolli – who scores on 77 minutes with a free-kick. The crazy finale, which for the Granata brings back memories of their miraculous comeback against Murata, sees Ben Kacem win the penalty for the equaliser – coolly converted by Barone. Then, in the fifth and final minute of added time, Pollini spills a diagonal effort from Moretti and Olcese pounces on the rebound to make it 3-2. There are even seven goals in Acquaviva between Virtus and Domagnano. Bizzotto’s side shake off the disappointment of defeat to Pennarossa, taking the lead on 9 minutes through Sopranzi – put in on goal by Buonocunto. The Sammarinese forward repeats the feat on the quarter-hour mark, finishing off a lightning counter-attack, again started by compatriot Ciacci, with a powerful diagonal strike. Domagnano waste the chance to get back into it on 25 minutes, denied by Passaniti. Ceccaroli fares no better, somehow missing a tap-in from point-blank range after Fedeli’s effort. Early in the second half Virtus effectively kill the contest after barely a minute: that is all Buonocunto needs to latch onto an Angeli lay-off, flicked on by Sopranzi, and drill an unstoppable low shot past Colonna. Shortly afterwards, Virtus score again. Tortori threads a ball into the area for Sopranzi, who beats his man and shoots with the outside of his boot, only for Ferraro to produce a miraculous goal-line clearance. The ball, however, falls to Buonocunto, who controls and finds the net for a fourth time. In the closing stages, helped by Virtus easing off the throttle, Domagnano pull one back through Ceccaroli – who produces a long-range gem. On 82 minutes the Giallorossi score again through Fedeli, fortunate to see his effort deflected by Ciacci to wrong-foot Passaniti. Virtus’ victory is never really in doubt, though, and to underline what is already clear, Sorrentino steps up in the 88th minute – striking from distance with a right-footed effort that bounces in front of Colonna for the definitive 5-2 scoreline. While awaiting the rescheduling of Cailungo-La Fiorita, still to be defined, Matchday 16 of the league was completed by the Sunday evening fixture between Pennarossa and San Giovanni. The first half is played at a relatively low tempo, with the Chiesanuova side finding the spark to break the deadlock. Credit to Alessandro Conti who, at the end of a long move in which Zago picked out De Angelis only for the post to deny him, strikes from distance after an assist from his brother Daniele. In the second half Stefanelli wastes the chance to double the lead when sent clear one-on-one with the keeper by Cecchetti, while San Giovanni squander a triple opportunity through Celli, Nicola Sartini and Bruma. The latter, in the six-yard box with the goal gaping, fails to sort his feet out to finish. After a couple of chances that Pennarossa fail to take, San Giovanni level matters from the spot. Boldrini wins the penalty which Bruma converts flawlessly, sending Benedettini the wrong way. The finale is lively, with both sides going close to snatching all three points, but the killer blow never comes. At the Ezio Conti in Dogana it finishes in a 1-1 draw. Below is the updated schedule for Matchday 16 of the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301:

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