Championship: Domagnano turn it around, Fiorentino knocked out by a whisker

A spectacular night full of goals, emotion and plot twists in the second legs of the Campionato Sammarinese play-off quarter-finals. Domagnano overturn the first-leg result and knock out Folgore, Fiorentino win but it is not enough: it is La Fiorita who go through. Let’s start with the clash at the Ezio Conti, which begins in the best possible way for Costantini’s side because after just twenty-six seconds Gjonaj’s cross into the middle is first flicked on by Mazzotti and then drops perfectly on the head of Ben Kacem, who puts his team in front. La Fiorita roar on 18 minutes with a powerful right-footed effort from Djuric – already decisive on this pitch in the cup semi-final – but Benedettini produces an excellent save; on the rebound the Gialloblù midfielder tries again but fails to hit the target. Only a few seconds later, though, the Gialloblù equalise with a flowing move, finished off by a back-heel assist from Affonso on the edge of the box to release Guidi, whose right-footed strike is inch-perfect and impossible for Benedettini to reach. The tempo is extremely high and there is no time to get bored. Guidi’s fine goal is matched by that of Abouzziane, who restores Fiorentino’s lead on 25 minutes: the winger collects the ball on the left-hand side of the final third, cuts inside and unleashes a curling effort “Del Piero style” that is a joy to watch again and again. Ceci’s team, of course, refuse to roll over and push forward again. On 32 minutes Affonso bursts forward and finishes with a left-footed shot that shaves the post. The Gialloblù end the first half on the front foot with two good chances for Guidi and Djuric, but the break comes with Fiorentino holding a slender lead. The second half also starts at full throttle because on 52 minutes Ben Kacem breaks away on the counter and finishes with a left-footed effort that goes just centimetres wide of a qualification-clinching goal for Fiorentino. After another opportunity for Ben Kacem, who fires into the side-netting on 68 minutes, La Fiorita manage to find the equaliser that settles the Gialloblù. A perfect cross from Affonso (his 12th assist of the league campaign) finds Semprini, whose first touch and lightning-quick finish from the midfielder-turned-goalscorer – his tenth of the season – make it 2-2. The drama is not over, though, because on 79 minutes Fiorentino reopen the tie with Abouzziane’s penalty, which puts them back in front. The winger – man of the match this evening – burns past Gasperoni and then blasts a shot at the near post, where Zavoli is alert. The most incredible moment arrives on 90 minutes, with a chance that could decide everything: the irrepressible Abouzziane turns on the turbo down the left to launch a counter-attack, then plays the ball into the box for Ben Kacem, who shoots from point-blank range, but Zavoli is monumental and preserves both the result and qualification. It would all have been in vain, however, even if Ben Kacem had scored, because Balzano’s assistant had flagged for offside (by millimetres). So even a big performance is not enough for Fiorentino, who are knocked out by La Fiorita – who advance courtesy of their better position in the regular-season table, despite the aggregate score over the two legs (1-0 to Montegiardino’s side in the first leg) being level. The Gialloblù will now face either Tre Penne or Cosmos (who meet tomorrow at 20:45 in Acquaviva).

The real upset, though, comes from Domagnano, who overturn last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat thanks to tonight’s 3-1 win and dump out Folgore. The first half belongs to the Giallorossi, who know they must win by at least two clear goals to progress. Santi and Bonetti both test their luck on separate occasions, as does Guglielmi on 24 minutes with a shot that flashes just wide of the goal. Folgore sit back and first show themselves on 28 minutes when Guglielmi loses a bad ball while trying to break, Azael Garcia Rufer pounces and drives towards goal, with his brother Augusto completely unmarked in the box, but the midfielder opts to shoot and squanders a golden chance. On the half-hour the match is unlocked: contact in the area between Augusto and Mengucci results in a penalty for Domagnano. Bonetti steps up and finds the corner; De Angelis guesses the right way but cannot reach it. Amati’s side are buoyed and shortly before the interval come up with the goal that, at that moment, would mean qualification: on a night of high-quality finishes, Guglielmi also joins the party when, after Bonetti’s knockdown in the box, he produces a sumptuous back-heel flick with his back to goal that catches De Angelis out. After the break Folgore have to chase a goal to get back into the tie. Their clearest opportunity comes on 75 minutes from a free-kick on the edge of the box, beautifully curled towards the top corner by Pancotti, but Maggioli is outstanding and keeps it out. The momentum is firmly with Domagnano because from the ensuing Folgore corner the Giallorossi launch a counter-attack through Santi, who, once he reaches the final third, picks out Bonetti in the box with a perfect pass, and the striker makes no mistake, completing his brace (taking him to 26 league goals as the new top scorer). Folgore are on the ropes and try to react. On 82 minutes Marconi halts a Pancotti surge but then slips on the wet turf in Acquaviva, allowing the San Marino winger to try to profit; the Giallorossi defender, however, refuses to give up and with a second superb intervention snuffs out the danger. In the closing stages the contest springs back into life because on 87 minutes Ura’s free-kick is perfectly floated into the area for the head of Augusto Garcia Rufer, who scores his 25th league goal and pulls one back for Folgore. Lasagni’s team push until the very end and, in stoppage time, the chance to qualify falls to Facchetti from an Augusto assist, but the midfielder blazes over from inside the six-yard box. In Acquaviva it finishes 3-1 to Domagnano, who overturn the first leg and move into the semi-finals. The Giallorossi will now face either Juvenes Dogana or Virtus (who meet on Wednesday evening in Dogana).

While we wait for tomorrow’s fixtures, here is the partial picture of the Campionato Sammarinese play-off quarter-finals: