League: Tre Penne win and stay on Virtus’ heels, Tre Fiori storm past Cosmos in Cecconi show

League: Tre Penne win and stay on Virtus’ heels, Tre Fiori storm past Cosmos in Cecconi show

San Marino Championship - 29 October 2023

League: Tre Penne win and stay on Virtus’ heels, Tre Fiori storm past Cosmos in Cecconi show

Tre Penne remain unbeaten and, with a clear 3-0 win, get the better of Murata in the Sunday showpiece of the seventh matchday of the BKN301 Championship. Ceci’s side rack up a sixth straight victory and stay on the tail of leaders Virtus, two points behind. In Montecchio, it is Murata who start better, and early on they appeal for a penalty after contact in the box between Raul Ura and Barretta, but Ucini waves play on amid strong protests from the Bianconeri. Angelini’s team push and in the 8th minute Rastelli shoots from the edge after a good team move, Migani parries and on the rebound Grieco fires into the net but from an offside position. Tre Penne wake up and on 15 minutes go close through Dormi stretching to meet Pieri’s driven cross-shot, but the playmaker’s effort drifts wide. Midway through the half the deadlock is broken: a pinpoint cross from the left by Scarponi finds the head of Riccardo Pieri, who makes no mistake to stamp home the 1-0 for his side. With top scorer Badalassi on the bench, it falls to Pieri to play the goal-getter’s role in a team averaging more than three goals a game. And on the half-hour comes Ceci’s side’s second, again from Pieri, who makes the most of Dormi’s brilliant through ball and drills a low diagonal finish for 2-0. Murata – who also lose Affonso to injury on 36 minutes – are on the ropes after Tre Penne’s one-two, but right at the end of the half Angelini’s men have the chance to get back into it: a great long ball from Cicarelli picks out Rastelli, who slips between Barretta and Vandi and tries a delicate lob, but the ball sails over the bar. After the restart Tre Penne manage the game and on 60 minutes effectively put it to bed: Cecchetti beats Brescianini down the right and lays the ball back to the edge of the area for Gai; the Biancazzurri captain hits it first time with power, sending the ball into the top corner for the third. Murata at least want to finish with their heads held high and grab a goal, but on 80 minutes Migani produces a fine save to deny Rodrigues’ effort from the edge. Murata thus suffer their second league defeat, rounding off a week to forget for Angelini’s boys, considering also their elimination in the BKN301 Coppa Titano Round of 16. In Domagnano, meanwhile, Tre Fiori unleash a cyclone on Cosmos: De Falco’s Gialloblu sweep to a resounding 5-0 victory over Nicola Berardi’s side. Ironically, the last time the Gialloverdi conceded five goals was on 21 November 2021, also against Tre Fiori, for whom current Cosmos players Aldo Simoncini and Alessandro D’Addario were then playing. The star of the day is Giacomo Cecconi, who scores no fewer than four goals. Tre Fiori break the deadlock early, on 7 minutes: a set-piece into the area from Mazzotti finds Cecconi, who starts his day of glory by spinning and finishing for the opener. On the quarter-hour comes the second for the Fiorentino club: a superb team move started by Cecconi, who finds Fedeli on the edge of the area; the former Domagnano man exchanges neatly with Islamaj, who returns the ball to him for 2-0. Cosmos try to react and on 38 minutes Filippo Berardi unleashes a powerful strike from the edge, but Nardi saves brilliantly. Tre Fiori break again and, before the interval, add another two. On 43 minutes, a cross into the box from Islamaj – his second assist of the day – finds the ever-present Cecconi, who ghosts between D’Addario and Palazzi to nod in for 3-0. Cecconi’s hat-trick is then only a matter of minutes away: a superb ball in behind from Ruocco finds Cecconi, who lifts a delicate lob over Simoncini for an incredible 4-0 inside the first forty-five minutes. After the break Cosmos try to muster a response, but they continually come up against an ever-alert Nardi: on 70 minutes Ben Kacem unleashes a thunderous drive after a lay-off from Berardi, but the former Santarcangelo goalkeeper shows lightning reflexes to deny the Gialloverdi. On 75 minutes, Cecconi’s perfect day is rounded off with his fourth and Tre Fiori’s fifth: Mazzotti again picks out the joint-top scorer – level with Badalassi, who failed to score today – and from the edge of the area he curls the ball into the corner where Aldo Simoncini has no chance of reaching it. It is the exclamation mark on the match for a Tre Fiori side who climb further up the table – currently third, level with La Fiorita on 16 points. A day to forget for Cosmos – suffering their first league defeat – who have now gone two games without a win and remain stuck on ten points. A good win too for Cailungo, who ease past Faetano 4-1. Denis Iencinella’s team take the lead on the quarter-hour with an excellent through ball from Dragoni that perfectly picks out Bencivenga, who beats Manzaroli with a precise diagonal finish. The Rossoverdi’s second comes from the spot: Dragoni is brought down by Bertuccini and Urbinati steps up and makes no mistake right on the stroke of half-time. At the restart, Cailungo quickly add a third: barely thirty seconds have passed when Amati robs Acquarelli of the ball on the edge of the area and, once in front of Manzaroli, slots home for 3-0. The Rossoverdi do not let up and on 80 minutes they also add a fourth of the day: a long ball forward from Giangrandi, and Armando Senja times his run perfectly between the Gialloblu shirts, outpaces everyone and beats Manzaroli for 4-0. In the closing stages Faetano grab a consolation: Acquarelli shoots from distance and Capriotti gets on the end of it, controls and fires into the corner where Masini cannot reach. It matters little to Cailungo, who claim their third league win and move up to nine points. Faetano see their positive run – they had not lost since 4 October – come to an end, with Pellegrino’s side now 15th on just four points. Here is the full rundown of the seventh matchday of the San Marino BKN301 Championship:

Giacomo Scarponi

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