Championship, a goalless Sunday: verdicts postponed to the return legs

The 3:00 pm kick-off between Virtus and Juvenes Dogana ends goalless. The first chance falls to the Serravalle side, with Bakalyar who in the 9th minute robs De Santis of the ball, a series of passes frees Colonna out wide and he whips in a dangerous cross. Passaniti has to intervene and concedes a corner. Virtus reply around the quarter-hour mark: Ciacci sends Piscitella through, he cuts inside onto his right and goes for goal, but his effort sails over the bar, posing no danger for Colonna. On the half-hour it is once again the Neroverdi looking for the breakthrough. Again Ciacci, from the halfway line, plays a perfect ball over the top for Zenoni, who brings it down and shoots at the near post, but the ball goes just wide. Bizzotto’s men do not let up, they keep pushing forward and find the net from a free-kick: Amati delivers a pinpoint cross for Zenoni, who connects on the volley and scores. However, the referee signals an offside position, and it’s all to do again for Virtus. The Acquaviva side stay on the front foot: Amati slides Scappini in behind, he lets it bounce and hits a first-time left-footed effort. The ball ripples the side-netting. The match turns completely just before half-time. Amati misplaces a back-pass and Borghini intercepts and bursts into space. Passaniti comes out and brings him down: straight red card for the Virtus goalkeeper. The final chance of the first half comes directly from an Aprea free-kick: he strikes it well but the ball ends up over the bar. Despite being a man down, it is still the Neroverdi who pile forward after the restart, even hitting the woodwork in the 54th minute. Zenoni receives the ball and unleashes a fierce long-range effort that crashes off the crossbar. A few minutes later Virtus have another goal chalked off for offside: a long ball from Piscaglia finds Scappini, who fires it into the net, but once again it’s all brought back for Bizzotto’s men. Juvenes respond in the 66th minute through Aprea, who receives on the edge of the box, shifts it onto his right and shoots. Excellent save from Venturini, called into action after Passaniti’s dismissal. A few minutes later the Neroverdi are back on the attack with substitute Lombardi. A long ball forward from Rinaldi finds the number 11, who loses his marker with a superb first touch, gets his shot away but finds only the side-netting. That is the last flashpoint of a match that finishes goalless. Everything will therefore be decided in the return leg, on Wednesday, again at the Dogana ground.

The clash between Tre Penne and Cosmos also finishes goalless. The first shiver of the match comes around the 15-minute mark. Gjurchinoski receives on the edge of the box, sets it onto his left and shoots wide of the target. The Biancoazzurri respond through Turchetta, who crosses into the middle for Berardi: his header goes over the bar. Selva’s men stay on the front foot. Pastorelli swings the ball in with a shot-cross that Semprini has to deal with. The ball then falls to Ferrani, who strikes straight: it’s simple for the goalkeeper, who gathers. Cosmos respond with Ceccaroli, who attempts a powerful long-range strike, but the ball ends up centrally in the hands of Migani. The Gialloverdi try again from distance with Santoni, who manages to find the corner but does not strike it cleanly: Migani makes an easy catch. The first half thus ends goalless and with very few thrills. The first chance of the second half arrives ten minutes after the restart. Tre Penne threaten with a Pastorelli free-kick cross into the area; Casadio arrives and connects well with a header, the ball flying just over. Cosmos hit back through Santoni, who lays it back for Monceri. He shoots from the edge of the box, Migani saves and on the rebound Ambrosini is there to turn it in. The scorer, however, is judged to be in an offside position, and the goal is disallowed. With a quarter of an hour remaining, it is the Biancoazzurri’s turn to look for the opener: Nigretti’s cross finds Peluso, whose header sends the ball just wide of the post. No winners and no losers: everything will be decided on Wednesday in Acquaviva.