League, second half kicks off: La Fiorita out to defend top spot, Virtus tested by Tre Fiori

The regular season of the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301 moves into its second half. Matchday 16, like matchday 15, will feature only two of the eight fixtures on Sunday, with two games scheduled for late Saturday afternoon. New leaders La Fiorita have Libertas in their sights as they look to extend the golden run that has seen Manfredini’s men win each of their last eight outings. Libertas, for their part, can also build on a positive mood after getting back to winning ways last weekend at the expense of Pennarossa. This time, though, the challenge will be significantly more demanding for the Granata, who will have to measure themselves against the league leaders tomorrow in Fiorentino, with kick-off at 15:00. Having surrendered top spot, Virtus are seeking an immediate reaction in the big match against Tre Fiori. Both sides need to erase the slip-ups they suffered last weekend. In truth, it was only half a misstep for the Fiorentino side, who at least managed to salvage a point after trailing 0-2 to Domagnano. Islamaj’s brace allowed the Gialloblù to keep their unbeaten streak alive and, crucially, to prevent Tre Penne from overtaking them. However, Cosmos are once again breathing down their necks, and that is another reason why Tre Fiori need a full haul against a team that, until a week ago, were looking down on everyone from the summit. On the other side, there is no doubt Virtus are determined to reclaim the leadership of the single group as soon as possible, ideally sending out a strong message to the rest of the pack. Beating one of the best-equipped teams in the competition would also serve that purpose for Bizzotto’s men. They play tomorrow at 15:00 in Domagnano. As mentioned, last Sunday Tre Penne claimed the biggest scalp of all. That 2-1 win breathed new life into the Biancoazzurri’s campaign after two consecutive defeats, and they now hope it will prove to be a turning point. To know for sure, coach Ceci will need further evidence on the pitch, starting with tomorrow afternoon’s clash with an in-form Juvenes-Dogana, who have climbed to 8th place thanks to three straight victories, just one step behind Folgore. The match at the Acquaviva Stadium, scheduled for 15:00, promises to be well worth following. Also kicking off at 15:00 tomorrow, Faetano and Murata will meet with different ambitions in the table but with not-so-dissimilar thoughts. Both have something to make up for: Murata for a defeat – not the easiest to foresee – against Fiorentino; Faetano for a barren spell stretching over three rounds. The latter must also, in some way, respond to being overtaken by Libertas, while still keeping both the Granata and Domagnano within their sights, as both are within striking distance of a win. Murata have lost touch with Cosmos but can still set their sights on the position currently occupied by the Serravalle side, not that far away (a four-point gap), while, behind them, Folgore and Juvenes-Dogana do not, for now, represent an imminent threat. The Bianconeri and the Gialloblù will face off in Montecchio. On the same pitch, but at 18:15, Cosmos will look to continue their climb as they take on a Domagnano side that have shown they are not to be underestimated, having gone 2-0 up against Tre Fiori last time out, before the latter managed to limit the damage only in extremis. Nicola Berardi and his players are targeting an eighth straight win, while the Wolves, who nonetheless come into this one on the back of a valuable point, are chasing a prestige victory to move closer to the calm waters of mid-table. The other late-afternoon fixture pits Folgore against Cailungo. Folgore can ride a significant emotional wave built on three consecutive wins, which have allowed the Giallorossoneri to close in on the upper reaches of the table. Cailungo, on the other hand, come in with the opposite mindset (after five defeats in a row) and need an immediate spark to give substance back to their league position. On the Rossoverdi bench there will be no Denis Iencinella, who was relieved of his duties during the week. The match will be played in Acquaviva. On Sunday, Fiorentino will be out to extend their positive spell. The Rossoblù are on a run of two wins in a row: the hunt for a third will take them to Montecchio to face bottom side Pennarossa, still without a win in the league. In Fiorentino, meanwhile, there will be a clash between two teams looking to end negative runs: two straight defeats for San Giovanni, four for San Marino Academy. San Giovanni will also be playing at a distance with Fiorentino, with whom they share 17 points. Here is the schedule for matchday 16, the first of the second half of the season – broadcast in full and free of charge, live on TITANI.TV:

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