Championship: the roar of the big guns in the late kick-offs of Matchday 19

They navigate serious obstacles, the three heavyweights tasked with keeping pace with leaders Virtus – who had already won yesterday’s early fixture against Libertas. Almost flawless from La Fiorita, who go into the break 3-0 up despite wasting just as many chances to beat Gentilini. The only sour note is Vitaioli’s injury, forcing him to pull out in the warm-up: Jacopo Semprini starts in his place. After a string of chances not converted, La Fiorita break through on 14 minutes with help from Colonna, who loses the ball as he comes out. Grassi sends Niang through on goal and he coolly beats Gentilini, also deceived by Manfroni’s deflection. The Gialloblù lay siege to the Juvenes-Dogana box and, on 23 minutes, in the same move, Niang, Gasperoni and Grandoni all try their luck in quick succession – repeatedly going close to doubling the lead. Instead, the move for 2-0 on 32 minutes is a delight to watch. It starts from the goalkeeper and goes through two lay-offs and two vertical balls, all played first time – just like Niang’s right-foot finish that stuns Gentilini. Far more common in its construction, but no less important, is the third in added time: Niang meets Gasperoni’s cross with a close-range header. A perfect hat-trick for the former Fiorentino striker, scoring with his right foot, left foot and head in the space of one half of football. In the extra added time granted by Vandi, Juvenes-Dogana carve out their only real chance of the match, just millimetres away from making it 3-1. After the restart, the game continues in the same vein: Jacopo Semprini tries from distance after two minutes, while Cevoli is decisive in thwarting Gasperoni’s burst. Following another wayward header from the former Murata man, La Fiorita score again. Niang pounces on a risky square pass from Merli to race through on goal for the fourth time on his extraordinary afternoon. ©FSGC A win that keeps the Gialloblù on Virtus’ heels and maintains their cushion over a Cosmos side surging up the table. Berardi’s men sit seven points off top and look to have decided they want to win every game from now until the end of the campaign – a scenario which, paradoxically, would still not guarantee them first place. For now, they have secured an eleventh consecutive victory. After Cailungo, they now face three straight six-pointers against La Fiorita, Tre Fiori and Tre Penne. Fixtures that Roberto Di Maio and his team-mates have ringed in red on the calendar, every bit as much as Virtus-Cosmos on 16 March. Today brought a hard-fought win over an in-form Fiorentino, who again had Abouzziane available. On 20 minutes there is a highly unusual episode: the coming together between Palazzi and Stefanelli in the box is deemed legal by Mineo who, on Cosmos’ ensuing move, awards a penalty to the Gialloverdi. Costantini’s foul is clear and allows Filippo Berardi to open the scoring from the spot. The second also comes from a set piece, Salvatelli diving in to head home – left far too free by the Fiorentino defence midway through the half. The assist comes from Riccardo Zulli, who had been named Player of the Month for January before kick-off. Camillini’s side react and, after a missed chance by Stefanelli, pull one back through an imposing header from Davide Simoncini – who beats his twin brother Aldo. Cosmos go close to a third on a couple of occasions, but end up conceding an unlikely equaliser in the first minute of added time. Credit to Abouzziane, who slices through the Cosmos back line to lay the ball on a plate for Stefanelli to tap into an empty net. Before the interval, Di Maio restores Cosmos’ lead with a poacher’s finish from a Sapori corner. The former Libertas defender needs less than a minute of the second half to make it four: found 20 metres out by Berardi, he wriggles between three opponents before beating Benedettini with real style. Fiorentino are a whisker away from getting back into it through Chekirri: fed by Hirsch, he finds first D'Addario and then the crossbar in his way, denying him twice from no more than a metre out. That proves to be the Rossoblù’s final real threat; they are then put under pressure late on by Prandelli’s attempts before finishing with ten men after Diop is sent off for a late challenge on Simone Santi. Tre Penne need a half to click into gear and once again turn to Badalassi to continue their push towards the top spots. The league’s top scorer is dangerous twice before the 20-minute mark, when first Manzaroli and then a lack of accuracy deny him the breakthrough. It remains goalless at the break, but only for nine minutes of the second half: excellent play by Cecchetti, who delivers into the edge of the six-yard box a ball begging to be turned in for 1-0 by Badalassi. On the hour mark Acquarelli blocks Pieri’s fierce right-foot drive with his midriff, and Cecchetti then fails to hit the target with the goalkeeper still on the ground. The Faetano centre-back is also in the thick of it at the other end, almost equalising when he pushes forward. The fixture that last year sealed the title for Tre Penne, right here in Acquaviva, sees another Badalassi brace – he scores after rounding Manzaroli, making the most of a perfect assist from Pieri. Ceci’s side lose their shape in the closing stages and, after spurning a big chance one-on-one with Migani, Brisigotti finds the net of the San Marino champions on the counter. A situation that will not have pleased the Tre Penne coach, conceding on the break when 2-0 up. The Biancazzurri cannot be too hard on themselves, though, despite several missed chances to strike again, because deep into stoppage time Pieri wraps it up. He wins the ball out wide and drives all the way to Manzaroli’s goal, beating him for the third time on the day. This is the partial picture from Matchday 19 of the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301, with full live coverage on TITANI.TV:

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