Championship: Cosmos cruise through, Juvenes Dogana make the draw enough

Needing nothing less than a win, Pennarossa immediately push into the Cosmos box with Pintore’s overhead kick – stylish, but ineffective. Nothing to unsettle Selva’s men, who strike with their very first attack. Ambrosini steps up for a free-kick from the edge of the area and smacks the ball full on to the crossbar with his curling right-foot effort. Gjurchinoski pounces on the rebound but can’t get through the red-and-white wall. Islamaj can, though, deadly on the “third” ball. It’s the 8th minute, and moments later Cosmos have a huge chance to double their lead. Ceccaroli skips past Socciarelli with a dribble and puts in a ball that Ambrosini really just has to turn into the net: instead he shoots too centrally, allowing Filippo Tordella to make a save that is excellent all the same. The latter can only breathe a sigh of relief when Gjurchinoski lets fly with a diagonal effort from the edge of the box, missing the target by a fraction. Pennarossa threaten midway through the half: Carubini slices his clearance and Tolomeo tries to take immediate advantage, only to fire over. On 37 minutes Santoni switches play towards Ceccaroli, who drives at Grieco and goes down after a coming-together with the number 22 in red and white. The referee points to the spot and Ambrosini takes responsibility: Filippo Tordella dives the right way and comes out on top yet again in his personal duel with the Cosmos number 32. A huge chance for Selva’s men to go 2-0 up goes begging here, but they will find the second on 56 minutes, from a short back-pass by Santi that Gjurchinoski reads like a predator, rounding Filippo Tordella with ease before rolling the ball into an empty net. Pennarossa react well, mainly through two efforts from Papa on the edge of the box: the first, teed up by Tolomeo, sails over; the second, created by Varrella, drifts just wide. Still, these are flurries that Cosmos can manage without too much anxiety, as they wait for the right moment to kill the tie once and for all. That moment arrives on 70 minutes – or rather, Hamati manufactures it himself: the number 18 collects Santoni’s switch of play on the far left flank, cuts inside, beating a couple of opponents, and then unleashes a thunderbolt that crashes in under the bar. A real golazo, to which Pennarossa can offer no kind of reply. In fact, as stoppage time looms, it is Cosmos who have the ball for 4-0: Hamati releases Islamaj, who is all alone and opts for the most elegant but also the most difficult solution – a delicate chip – only to see the ball clear the crossbar. A venial sin, though: Cosmos complete their mission in style and book their place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Tre Penne.

With far more anxiety, Juvenes Dogana also make it through, although their evening in Acquaviva against Libertas begins at full speed. Not even a minute has been played when Aprea produces a clever pass for Amadori, who, clean through on Manzaroli, shoots without finding the corner, allowing the Libertas keeper to save with his feet. Libertas respond with a left-footed effort from 16 metres by Gulfo, straight at Davide Colonna who gathers comfortably. Juvenes promptly push back on and test Manzaroli through the Giacomo Borghini–Ghiggini connection: Borghini swings in the free-kick onto Ghiggini’s head, the latter looks for the near post but finds the keeper’s vital diving save. On 27 minutes, Gianmaria Borghini drives through the middle and side-foots goalwards, but the effort is too central to trouble Manzaroli. Around ten minutes later Libertas think they have scored through Fabio Tomassini, played into the six-yard box by Gulfo, but the celebrations are cut short because the provider had started from an offside position. The last dangerous moment of the first half also bears the Libertas stamp. Cozzino wriggles clear on the edge of the box and drives to the by-line, where his driven cross-shot is smothered by Colonna – with Guidotti lurking in front of goal, ready for a simple tap-in. A first half of limited thrills is followed by a second period crammed with incidents. The very first – just 20 seconds after the restart – is Guidotti’s close-range effort from a brilliant Morelli flick: the shot flies over. The second is Juvenes Dogana’s opening goal, scored on 58 minutes. It all springs from a moment of real vision from Pedini, who shapes to cross but slides a through-ball instead to Gianmaria Borghini, left completely free to bring the ball under control in the middle of the area and pick his spot behind Manzaroli. Buda’s players appeal in vain for offside. Just as Senja’s protests are in vain when, on 64 minutes, he is shown his second yellow of the evening for a foul on Gianmaria Borghini himself. Being a man down does not deflate Libertas; quite the opposite. A couple of minutes after the red card, Fabbri reacts fastest to a loose ball in the area and volleys it into the back of the net, throwing qualification right back into the balance. Juvenes try immediately to swing the momentum back their way. Amadori scores, but from an offside position; then, on 70 minutes, Aprea sends Gianmaria Borghini through on the diagonal, he bursts beyond the defence and tries to chip Manzaroli, who does superbly in his one-on-one. At this stage virtually every attack sends shivers down the spines of both sets of supporters. But it is above all Libertas who come closest to a famous turnaround – and all this despite being a man light. Morelli’s flying touch sets up the perfect volley for Fabbri, who is denied his brace only by a terrific reflex stop from Colonna, with the help of the post. Libertas have no time for regrets, though, because they must immediately sprint back to defend against a Juvenes counter-attack. Gianmaria Borghini crosses for Amadori, who takes out both defender and goalkeeper with his dribble, only to see the 2-1 goal wiped out by a miraculous goal-line clearance from Rigoni. Perhaps galvanised by that episode, the maroon side create another huge chance. Tomassini crosses to the far post for Fabbri, who wisely heads the ball back across goal to the unmarked Guidotti: a colossal miss from the latter, who blazes over from inside the six-yard box – with the goal all but gaping. At this point the match could still swing either way. At least until Libertas lose a second player: that happens on 80 minutes, when Nigro reacts badly after a challenge with Aprea and is sent for an early shower barely ten minutes after coming on. In the meantime, Gianmaria Borghini had gone close to 2-1 – and a personal brace – with a free-kick, the ball drifting just wide. With nine men, Libertas’ attacking thrust inevitably dwindles. Manzaroli has to pull off a fine save from Ghiggini’s long-range strike; then Gaiani cuts into the box from the right and tries to catch Manzaroli out at his near post, but without success. The Libertas keeper produces yet another outstanding stop to deny Riccardo Boldrini, who had been left all alone in the area by a Gaiani assist. Finally, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, he is grateful to the post as Benedetti’s left-foot strike crashes against it. Even though the 2-1 never comes, Juvenes Dogana have all they need. Boldrini’s side capitalise on their regular season ranking to make it past the maroon hurdle and set up a quarter-final date with Virtus.

These are the results from the Championship Preliminary Round: