Championship: La Fiorita edge through with a scare, San Giovanni hit three

They win, albeit with a few scares, and move temporarily clear at the top as La Fiorita, in this evening’s early kick-off of the 5th matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese, narrowly overcome a tenacious Pennarossa. In the most classic of top-versus-bottom clashes – the Gialloblù from Montegiardino still unbeaten and the Biancorossi from Chiesanuova still chasing their first victory – the first half is stuck in a stalemate, with the driving rain in Acquaviva making things difficult for both sides. On the half-hour, however, comes the episode that could change the face of the match: Olcese and Ricci tangle in midfield, and the Pennarossa man comes off worse, remaining on the ground. Referee Vandi consults his assistant and then decides to send off the La Fiorita striker. Pennarossa try to make the man advantage count straight away on 42 minutes with a fine surge from Jabi, but at the key moment he cannot find Famiglietti, and Zavoli comes out to snuff out the danger. Right at the end of the half there is also a chance for Ceci’s side, with a wonderful curling effort from Affonso that drifts just wide. The second half is gripping from start to finish, starting with the goal that finally breaks the deadlock: Cicarelli, from a free-kick on the edge of the box, picks out the perfect trajectory to beat Renzetti. Despite being down to ten men, La Fiorita manage to score again (62'), looking to kill the game off early. The Gialloblù move is superb: from the halfway line Vitaioli picks out Zaccaria between the lines, he brings it down and lays on the perfect assist for Affonso, who this time makes no mistake and makes it 2-0 with a magnificent and precise first-time right-footed strike from the edge of the area. The goal seems to have settled it, but a few minutes later Pennarossa pull one back with Martini’s shot from the edge, deflected by Brighi, which wrong-foots Zavoli. Filippo Dolci’s team throw everything forward and, after several attempts, come agonisingly close to an equaliser: Martini attacks the near post from a corner, looking for his brace, but Zavoli, with a superb reflex save, denies him. Added time begins and Leka, on the counter, has the chance to wrap it up for La Fiorita, but Renzetti closes the door with a great save off his line. On their final assault Pennarossa also see a red card shown to Montalti, already on a booking, who catches Lampo as he shoots from the edge. Dolci’s side must therefore bow to La Fiorita, who stay unbeaten and fly to the top of the table, three points clear of Virtus and Murata. Three goals and a second consecutive win for San Giovanni, who beat Juvenes-Dogana 3-0 in Dogana. The deadlock at the Ezio Conti is broken on 36 minutes with a brilliant goal from Tognacci’s Rossoneri: a long ball from his own area by Azael Garcia Rufer finds Aprea on the three-quarter line, who with a first-time touch cleverly feeds Augusto Garcia Rufer, threading his way through the Juvenes-Dogana backline and steering a perfect right-footed finish into the corner. It is Garcia Rufer’s fourth goal, making him joint-top scorer with Olcese and Buonocunto. The Rossoneri double comes shortly afterwards: Augusto Garcia Rufer not only scores but also turns provider, as his precise through ball picks out the run of Nicola Sartini, who slots past Gentilini from inside the box to net his first goal of the season. When it rains – quite literally, given this evening’s storm – it pours for Juvenes-Dogana: in the 40th minute (just four minutes after conceding twice) Cevoli is sent off for a second bookable offence after a foul on Augusto Garcia Rufer. In the second half, San Giovanni’s third goal arrives on 56 minutes, again courtesy of Nicola Sartini, who makes the most of another assist – his second of the night – from an excellent Aprea and beats Gentilini once more with a low diagonal effort. The only blemish on the night for the Rossoneri is the sending-off of Mattia Zanni, who, after two yellow cards in quick succession, heads for the dressing rooms a few minutes early. San Giovanni thus win in convincing fashion, climbing to 7 points in the table. A tough spell instead for Achille Fabbri’s Juvenes-Dogana, with just a single point collected in the league so far. On Saturday 5 October there will be three more fixtures from the fifth matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese, which will conclude on Sunday with a further three matches (all live on Titani.tv). Below is the updated schedule:

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