League: Folgore climb again, another setback for Tre Penne

The excellent run of form continues for Folgore who, in today’s match on the fourth matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese, record their third straight league win (four in a row if we include the Coppa Titano) and move closer to the summit. In Fiorentino, Oscar Lasagni’s side faced a Cailungo in crisis, still searching for their first points of the season. The match is unlocked inside a quarter of an hour with a wicked free-kick into the box from Pancotti, which is first glanced by Conti and then by Turrisi, who gets just enough of a touch to steer it past Gallinetta. The Cailungo goalkeeper is then crucial at the end of the first half when he says no to a thunderous effort from Cateni inside the area. The duel is renewed after the break (72’) when Gallinetta again produces a stunning save on the number ten of the Falciano club – who was in an offside position at the moment of the shot. A minute later, though, Folgore double their lead: Miori breaks away down the left and squares for Enrico Golinucci who, with a precise left-footed strike, picks out the far corner to make it 2-0. It seems done and dusted, but in the 77th minute Cailungo have the chance to reopen the contest. Ambrosetti earns a penalty and steps up to take it. Roberto Sarti’s forward, however, opens up his body too much and his finish crashes against the crossbar. The exclamation mark on the game is added two minutes from time by Raul Ura, who meets a pass on the edge of the box from Alex Cavalli and beats Gallinetta with a diagonal effort. In added time, Marco Bernardi also wants to join the party and finds the net, but from an offside position. No big issue for Lasagni and his players, who win and move to within just one point of the leading trio. Cailungo, meanwhile, suffer a fourth straight defeat and sit bottom of the table together with Academy. A second draw, goalless this time, for Tre Penne, who are held by Domagnano. The afternoon does not seem to start well for the Giallorossi when goalkeeper Colonna is injured in the warm-up. So Lorenzo Batori pulls on the gloves and will prove decisive, in the most classic of sliding doors scenarios. On 13 minutes the game could already be opened up: Dormi’s cross into the area strikes the arm of Cervellini, and referee Piccoli points to the spot. Righini steps up but is hypnotised by Batori and it remains 0-0. It is the second penalty of the day to be missed, adding to the seven – also missed – yesterday, for a total of nine in this “crazy” fourth round of the league. Berardi’s team – coming off a resounding 6-0 win over Cailungo in the cup – create chances but lack a cutting edge in front of goal. Domagnano hold firm and in the 78th minute must once more thank their goalkeeper Batori for keeping it 0-0, as he comes out brilliantly to deny Guidi when clean through. The Giallorossi shut down the opposition’s attacking forays and, on 90 minutes, nearly find a sensational winner with Angelini, who tries to curl one in from the edge of the box but without success. After two minutes of added time, Piccoli brings things to a close. It is also a second draw for Paolo Rossi’s side, who sit in mid-table on 5 points, while Tre Penne have 6 and trail the leaders by four. First league win for San Giovanni, who sink Faetano thanks to a brace from Augusto Garcia Rufer. The Rossoneri take the lead on 36 minutes: a cross from Azael Garcia Rufer is met by a towering header from Nicola Sartini, who directs it towards the corner; Forconesi gets a touch and pushes it onto the post, but Augusto Garcia Rufer is quickest to the rebound and finds the net. Ricchiuti’s Faetano are unable to restore parity and in the 75th minute San Giovanni wrap it up. It is an all “in the family” Garcia Rufer move, with Azael floating in a free-kick for his brother Augusto, who nods in the second from inside the six-yard box.

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