League: big wins for Juvenes-Dogana and San Giovanni, Affonso floors Cosmos

It now looks like a two-way battle for seventh place, which guarantees direct access to the BKN301 Campionato Sammarinese play-offs. In today’s early kick-offs on Matchday 28, Juvenes-Dogana and San Giovanni both record emphatic wins and continue side by side in the race for a precious post-season berth. Although both sit on 42 points, Amati’s side are ahead thanks to a better head-to-head record. The Dogana club beat Faetano 3-0 thanks to the inspiration of Gian Maria Borghini and Lorenzo Pasquinelli. It is the San Marino forward who breaks the deadlock on 24 minutes, making the most of a cross from the rampaging wide man. The understanding between the pair works to perfection again midway through the second half when Borghini finds Pasquinelli with yet another assist (his ninth of the league campaign). Pasquinelli unleashes a powerful effort towards Manzaroli, who gets a touch but cannot keep it out. Juvenes-Dogana’s third arrives on 82 minutes: Benedetti pulls the ball back from the byline for Stella, who settles matters with a precise diagonal finish. San Giovanni respond in style to the Serravalle side’s victory: the Rossoneri confirm their excellent form and blow Pennarossa away with a stunning 9-0 win. Barbieri is called into action immediately and the Biancorossi initially hold firm. But Tognacci’s team break the deadlock midway through the half thanks to a header from Azael Garcia Rufer, teed up by his brother Augusto. That goal opens the floodgates for San Giovanni, who quickly double their lead from the spot through Aprea. The Rossoneri show no sign of easing off and, before the interval – having already gone very close on a couple of occasions – they make it three when an inspired Aprea is quickest to react, turning in a D’Angeli effort that Barbieri had diverted onto the post. After the restart, the pattern does not change: it takes just 23 seconds for Aprea to slice through the Biancorossi backline and slot home for his hat-trick and his side’s fourth. Tognacci’s men still aren’t satisfied and keep pushing: shortly after the hour mark, Alex De Biagi gets in on the act, making the most of a fine assist from Corinti. Two minutes later substitute Nicola Sartini joins the party, heading in a Cocco cross. Pennarossa are on the ropes and cannot find a way out. San Giovanni land yet another heavy blow and make it 7-0 on 68 minutes when Azael Garcia Rufer wins and converts a penalty. There is still time for two more Rossoneri goals to widen the gap even further: De Biagi is the main man, first completing his brace and then providing the assist for team-mate Corinti to round off the 9-0 scoreline. It is clear that nothing is going Pennarossa’s way when, shortly before the 90th minute, Isaraj can only hit the post with a header. Without adding any stoppage time, the referee sends the players to the dressing rooms, with San Giovanni celebrating a fifth straight win. Plenty of goals and entertainment were expected between Cosmos and Murata, but this top-of-the-table clash did not quite live up to the billing. In the end, though, it is the Bianconeri who celebrate thanks to a late Affonso strike. Little happens in the first half: the best moment comes on the half-hour when Prandelli scores with a superb swivel finish from a Filippo Berardi cross, but the referee rules it out for a foul by the Gialloverdi forward. After the break Murata reply with a good long-range effort from Echel, which Aldo Simoncini deals with well. The decisive moment, as mentioned, comes at the end of the contest: Echel puts on the afterburners down the right and, after a powerful run, drives the ball across; Ura produces a delightful dummy that releases the onrushing Affonso at the far post, and he connects perfectly first time to beat Simoncini. That is all Angelini’s side need to get the better of Berardi’s men – a tasty appetiser of what we might see again in a few weeks’ time in the play-offs. Domagnano also claim victory in the afternoon fixture in Acquaviva against San Marino Academy. The match immediately becomes an uphill struggle for the Titani when, on 7 minutes, Matteo Battistini handles the ball outside the area under pressure from the Giallorossi. Referee Mineo shows a red card (the team’s first of the season under Cecchetti) to the San Marino goalkeeper. The numerical advantage is exploited to the full by Paolo Rossi’s side who go in front on 13 minutes: Merendino swings in a cross for Gozzi, whose header beats Cervellini to make it 1-0. Despite being down to ten, the Academy dig in and, in the second half, even go close to equalising: on 71 minutes Nicolò Sancisi collects the ball from a corner and shoots on target, but Colonna gets down well and removes the danger. Domagnano, however, kill the game off just over ten minutes from time: Gregori gets the slightest of touches to release Babboni, who delicately lifts the ball into the net despite Sancisi’s last-ditch attempt to prevent the second goal. Even with lengthy stoppage time, the Academy cannot find a way back, and Domagnano can celebrate a win after two rounds without success. After more than 100 minutes of battle, Fiorentino and Folgore share the points. The match is opened very early. Inside five minutes, a handball by Gueye from a Pancotti cross results in a penalty, which is taken by Folgore’s specialist Sartori who, as usual, makes no mistake: Benedettini guesses the right way but the shot is perfectly placed, and Folgore can celebrate the lead thanks to the vice-captain’s third goal of the season. Folgore go close to a second when Golinucci unleashes a thunderbolt that flies just wide of the far post. Fiorentino level things up around the half-hour mark, when Abouzziane, from the corner of the area, squares the ball for Cekirri, who quickly turns it inside the post. In the second half, Benedettini preserves the scoreline first from Pica’s close-range header and then from Bernardi’s attempted tap-in. In between there is a turn and shot from Bernardi himself, laid off by Simeoni, that misses by a whisker. Pica again tries his luck from a free kick (Benedettini guards his near post) before Cateni has a goal disallowed for offside. Fiorentino, now clearly under pressure, are reduced to ten men after Costantini receives a second yellow on 70 minutes. Two long-range efforts from Pancotti fail to trouble Benedettini, as does Cateni’s shot on 81 minutes. The Rossoblù keeper is also equal to Gori’s header and Sartori’s strike from the edge of the box. The game moves into added time. Hirsch, only recently introduced, takes on a couple of opponents and then goes down in the area under contact from Renna. The referee points to the spot, and Abouzziane steps up; his first attempt is saved by Venturini, but he is quickest to the rebound and lashes it into the net. Folgore refuse to accept the late blow and pour forward, finding an equaliser in the sixth minute of added time thanks to Pica’s header from a corner. Here is the updated schedule for Matchday 28 of the BKN301 Campionato Sammarinese, which will be broadcast live in full with Italian commentary on TITANI.TV:

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