League: La Fiorita winter champions after tense draw between Cosmos and Tre Fiori

Only Tre Penne win among the five teams battling for the San Marino title, as the season reaches its halfway point with La Fiorita crowned winter champions without taking the field (the title holders were on their bye week). The big match between Cosmos and Tre Fiori ends all square, as fiercely contested as expected. At the other end of the table, it’s an opportunity missed for Murata who – 2-0 up against Domagnano – allow the Wolves to come back, letting slip a victory that would have halved the gap to third from bottom. In a first half where Domagnano look the better side, it is Murata who strike. Credit to Raul Ura, who finishes off a break with a cut‑back from Gaiani to beat Colonna. Earlier, the Giallorossi had threatened from a Ferraro free kick and a Zonzini volley. Midway through the half there is a huge chance at either end, with Nanni centre stage on both occasions. First by denying Comuniello’s tap‑in into an empty net, with the forward then striking Colonna full on as the keeper, according to Morisco, had one foot behind the line but his hands still outside the goal. From Murata’s protests to Bacchiocchi’s effort against the post, after he makes a superb run to meet Nanni’s inch‑perfect cross. Before the half‑hour, Angelini robs Vitaioli and serves Fedeli, who does well to roll Grieco with his pivot foot, only to be thwarted by a brilliant reflex stop from Terenzi. No less impressive is Colonna at the other end, tipping onto the bar Gaiani’s vicious left‑footer from distance. Before the interval – as mentioned – comes Ura’s goal, set up on the edge of the box by Gaiani: the right‑footed shot isn’t in the corner, but it catches Colonna out. If the keeper didn’t look flawless on that occasion, he is blameless when, on 48 minutes, Jacopo Semprini crowns his debut in Sammarinese football with a thunderbolt into the top corner to double Murata’s lead. Just when everything seems to be going Ura and his team‑mates’ way, the classic law of the ex comes back to haunt the club from Città. The enforcers are Cangini and Fedeli: from the former’s free kick, Gega’s deflection sends the ball looping beyond Terenzi’s reach. Murata are denied by Colonna on Ura’s attempt, and in the 79th minute – again from a dead ball – Domagnano restore parity. The ever‑dangerous Cangini, making his second debut in Giallorosso, picks out Fedeli’s header, as he ghosts in between Costantini and Gega to steer the ball into the top corner. And if it finishes 2-2, it is also because Babboni, another former Murata player, arrives a fraction late on a low cross that could have given Amadori’s men victory in the fifth minute of added time. Tre Penne live up to expectations, overcoming Faetano with a goal in each half. Ceci’s men go ahead on 18 minutes, taking the lead through the Vandi–Badalassi combination. The striker times his run in behind to perfection, holds off Della Valle’s challenge and finishes from close range past Porcellini. It is the first goal of 2023 for Tre Penne’s leading scorer, who moves on to seven for the season – just one off the league’s top marksmen. In Domagnano it is almost total dominance from the Biancazzurri, which Faetano try to disrupt in style: from a throw‑in routine, Composto sets himself up for a superb overhead kick that crashes against the crossbar. At the start of the second half Tre Penne come close to doubling their lead through Gai, and then find the 2-0 – with help from Porcellini – in the second minute of play. Righini’s over‑hit cross catches the visiting keeper out of position and he cannot prevent the second goal. Faetano pour forward in an attempt to get back into the game, but Girolomoni’s men lack accuracy. At the other end, the Vandi–Badalassi duo create another chance for a third, but the striker can only glance the post. In the final half‑hour Dormi and Battistini also try their luck, but are denied by a brave and decisive Porcellini. It is a positive final day of the first half of the season for Tre Penne’s ambitions: the runners‑up of San Marino draw level with Tre Fiori and close the gap on Cosmos and La Fiorita – the latter now top after their rest day, two points clear of Badalassi and his team‑mates. The Montecchio clash ends level and, for what it is worth, hands La Fiorita the honorary title of winter champions. Not a game for the faint‑hearted, the meeting between Cosmos and Tre Fiori is unlocked early by Prandelli’s eighth league goal of the season. The experienced forward capitalises on the work down the flank by Zulli and Palazzi, turning the San Marino defender’s cross into gold: De Lucia and Grani are late to react, allowing Prandelli to power a header into the top corner and leave Semprini rooted to the spot. Midway through the half the centre‑forward has a great chance to double the lead, but scuffs a shot – effectively a penalty in open play – after a precise cut‑back from Guidi. Between those two attempts comes Grani’s header from a corner, which fails to hit the target. Of a different magnitude is the chance created by Guidi on 33 minutes. The Gialloverde winger pounces on a loose ball in the area and hooks a right‑footed effort just over the bar. Late in the half, Simoncini finally has his gloves dirtied, producing a key intervention on Gjurchinoski’s shot‑cross, after a lovely move on the edge of the final third by Adami Martins. The sides change ends with Cosmos one goal to the good and Tre Fiori looking for more cutting edge up front: Selva’s response is to send on Bernardi to complete a heavyweight front three with Gjurchinoski and Goh – making his league debut after a sensational European campaign. A debut that will see his name go in the match report, but in the wrong column: on 69 minutes, Simoncini denies him the equaliser. In the closing stages, Cosmos drop their defensive line far too deep, allowing Selva’s men to camp in the final third. Bernardi’s header is a warning sign for Aldo Simoncini’s goal, with the keeper monumental on 86 minutes when Gjurchinoski threads a pass through for Goh. Moments before the 90th minute, Tre Fiori’s pressure finally pays off: De Lucia frees himself at the near post, taking advantage of a coming‑together between Palazzi and Loiodice, to steer Gjurchinoski’s corner in off the base of the upright. The connection is perfect and earns a 1-1 draw, setting up an extremely fiery finale. In the third of five added minutes, Gjurchinoski bursts in behind and looks to bend a right‑footed shot, only to be denied again by a superb Simoncini, one of the standout performers on the day. What spoils an otherwise entertaining and emotional encounter is the flare‑up that involves players and benches – all while Zulli lies on the ground needing medical attention. Tempers boil over after a challenge from behind and a subsequent ball kicked onto the pitch from the Cosmos bench. The most hot‑headed from each side, Goh and Di Maio, pay the price with straight red cards. It is the final incident – certainly not the most memorable – of a wonderful contest that leaves the balance of power at the top of the table unchanged, where there is remarkable parity. Five teams separated by four points at the end of the first half of the Campionato, the first Sammarinese league that will end with the trophy going straight to the side finishing top of the regular season. All the ingredients are there for the excitement to last right up to matchday thirty, the final day of the campaign. Here is the full programme from the 15th matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301:

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