Championship: Tre Penne and Cosmos into the play-off Quarter-finals with San Giovanni

Of the early kick-offs in the penultimate round of the regular season of the Campionato Sammarinese, it is above all Fiorentino-Cosmos that puts on the line points of considerable weight in view of the postseason. The Gialloverdi, sixth, come into it with a two-point cushion over the side newly handed to Costantini, eighth and first of those currently excluded from direct access to the Quarter-finals. In the first half clear-cut chances can be counted on the fingers of one hand: Biral connects awkwardly with his left on a fine switch of play from Badalassi, while at the other end Boubacar Diop starts and finishes a counter-attack, his low drive skimming just wide. The best chance comes from a corner, when Badalassi’s header is kept out by a sharp Benedettini reflex. The San Marino keeper, however, seems to be out of position at the start of the second half, when Cosmos take the lead at the first foray forward: Rossi’s cross finds Biral, who steers it into an almost unguarded net. On the hour the Gialloverdi virtually wrap up the win with the penalty won by Pierri and converted by Badalassi. Before the end there is also room for Loiodice’s signature, making it 3-0 on 77 minutes. Selva’s men thus climb, for the moment, to fifth place, securing a berth among the top seven in the table. Fiorentino, on the other hand, are already certain they can no longer get back into that group, because in the event of finishing level on points with San Giovanni, the head-to-head record would favour the Rossoneri (1-0, 0-2), who are likewise qualified for the main play-off bracket.

The objectives at stake on the other pitches were more modest, although Faetano were chasing against Murata the mathematical certainty of a place in the Preliminary Round and Tre Penne were looking to take a big step towards direct access to the main bracket, facing Academy this evening. Completing the picture in Domagnano was the meeting between Cailungo and Pennarossa. At the “Federico Crescentini”, Faetano made a false start – behind after just three minutes due to an own goal by Acquarelli, who beat Forconesi as he tried to flick a left-wing cross behind for a corner. There was little else to note before the break, with Faetano pushing with intent in search of an equaliser but unable to fashion real chances. Murata, by contrast, double their lead with their first opportunity: from Ricci’s corner Pagliuso loses his marker and heads towards goal, finding Petillo on the line to divert it in for 2-0. After the restart, Faetano get back into it through Palumbo, timing his run to the far post perfectly to turn in a pinpoint cross from Acquarelli. It is an overall balanced contest, and the scoreline has the chance to reflect that in the 82nd minute, when Ricchiuti’s side win a penalty. From the spot Brisigotti sends former team-mate Michele Magnani the wrong way and allows Faetano to pocket a point of huge importance. The postseason is in the bag, given their favourable head-to-head record with all their direct rivals except Juvenes-Dogana – against whom the record is level. As it stands, though, it is precisely the Serravalle side who would qualify together with Faetano.

In Dogana, after half a half of probing, Tre Penne cash in and knock twice on Borasco’s door. Dormi breaks the deadlock with a right-footed strike of remarkable power and precision that kisses the top corner. He shows both grit and guile, the playmaker, who at the half-hour mark produces a delightful chipped ball to set up the close-range right-foot finish by Alessandro D’Addario, making it 2-0. Either side of half-time Academy have two golden chances through Mattia Sancisi and Giacopetti, but both efforts clear the crossbar. In the second half, in particular, the Biancazzurrini show a different attitude and, despite the chances Tre Penne create – with Borasco denying them at least twice – the young San Marino side also threaten. Migani has to get down well to keep out Protti’s effort, and then can thank the upright when Marco Gasperoni unleashes a thunderbolt on 83 minutes that comes centimetres away from a wonder goal. This bold version of Academy would have deserved a goal to make it 2-1, which Enea Della Balda also only just misses at the end of a coast-to-coast run starting from defending a corner. With a few late scares, Tre Penne preserve their clean sheet and rubber-stamp a finish among the six teams that will go straight into the Quarter-finals.

Two goals in half an hour also for Cailungo in their clash with Pennarossa. The move that breaks the deadlock stems from a persistent solo run by Labas, almost dispossessed by strike partner De Luca who – helped by a fortunate ricochet – can unleash an unstoppable left-footer from the heart of the penalty area. The former Academy forward is also centre stage in the sweeping move for 2-0, winning back a ball that then squirts to the feet of Hirsch – far too composed to miss what is effectively a penalty in open play. Sarti’s men can also enjoy another favourable pinball on 44 minutes, when Labas finds the ball at his feet for the third and lashes it violently into the corner. Pennarossa get the sense it will not be their night from Albini’s free-kick, which crashes against the crossbar when Cailungo had yet to score their third. The script does not change after the interval, as the Rossoverdi make it four with a Labas header from a Gimenez cross, before adding a fifth and a sixth through Costa and Iuzzolino. On a night of grace for the Cailungo attack, which in one go produces 25% of the goals scored in their previous 28 matches, Bastianelli also joins in for the final 7-0 scoreline.

This is the partial picture of Matchday 29 of the Campionato Sammarinese, broadcast live in full – and completely free of charge – on the Titani.tv platform.