Championship: Murata win it after the break, Pennarossa comeback against Folgore

After three consecutive victories Folgore’s run comes to a halt, and there is certainly no shortage of regrets for Lasagni’s men as they are held to a 2-2 draw by bottom side Pennarossa. Everything seems to be going to plan for the giallorossoneri: after 6 minutes Turrisi turns in Sartori’s low cross; then, on 37 minutes, it is Sartori himself who curls home the free-kick for 2-0. But Pennarossa deserve credit for never switching off mentally. In terms of the scoreline, they get back into it at the start of the second half with Zenoni’s header from an Isaraj corner. Another key moment arrives on 74 minutes, when Turrisi raises his boot too high in a midfield challenge and the referee shows him a second yellow card of the evening. The slender lead suddenly looks extremely fragile, and it shatters in the fourth minute of added time. Once again the damage comes from a corner: Folgore’s defence survive the first ball lofted into the box, but after Caushaj’s knock-down it is Zenoni again who lashes the ball into the net for the equaliser, and Folgore, with virtually no time remaining, have no chance to respond. The celebrations are all Pennarossa’s, who with tremendous determination get back on the board after five defeats in a row. Folgore remain in third place, but lose ground on La Fiorita, convincing winners against Cailungo, whose momentum is checked after three positive results. The clear-cut 3-0 is opened by Massari, who rises to meet Ambrosini’s cross and heads into the net after just over four minutes. The second also comes from a header: from the corner flag Cicarelli picks out Mazzotti with pinpoint accuracy, and he steers the ball onto the inside of the far post, leaving Gallinetta completely stranded. The same number 5 in yellow and blue wraps things up on 58 minutes, this time not from the corner itself but from the ensuing phase. After an initial clearance by the Cailungo defence, Cicarelli swings in a second cross which Zazas recycles across the face of goal, where no fewer than three yellow-and-blue shirts – including Mazzotti’s – are waiting for an easy finish from close range. Cosmos fall for the third time in their last four outings, undone by a Murata side who, after allowing more than a few chances in the first half (including a Pierri free-kick against the bar), unleash themselves after the interval, sealing a hugely valuable win thanks to two genuine long-range masterpieces. Above all the first, from Socciarelli, who sets himself from distance and unleashes a fierce right-footed strike that dips perfectly over Boldrin. But the final blow, the one that extinguishes any gialloverde hopes of a comeback, is no less spectacular, and arrives deep into stoppage time. Ricci bursts forward from midfield and Schneider almost gets in his team-mate’s way as he cuts across his run, but he keeps his composure brilliantly to dink a delicate lob over Boldrin, allowing the Bianconeri to lock down their second win on the bounce. Murata pull away from the “chasing pack” of Domagnano, Faetano and Libertas, but continue to track sides such as San Giovanni and Tre Penne, the latter absolutely rampant against a helpless Faetano. It finishes 5-0 in Dogana, with Luca Ceccaroli the undisputed star of a match that opens with an “olimpico” goal from Amati. Then a poor clearance by Acquarelli allows Nigretti to slide Ceccaroli through into the area, and, all alone, he has no problem sending Forconesi the wrong way. On 28 minutes Berardi’s side effectively put the contest to bed with Ricciardo’s header from an Amati corner: Forconesi does himself no favours with a very uncertain intervention and the mountain for the gialloblù to climb becomes an Everest. And it is not over, because in the second half some terrible ball management in midfield sparks a four-on-two counter-attack, finished in style by Ceccaroli, who beats his direct marker, cuts onto his right foot and tucks the ball into the far corner. The number 11 in white and blue is still not satisfied: on 73 minutes comes the – delightful – goal for 5-0 and his personal hat-trick. It is the most classic “Del Piero-style” strike: collecting the ball at the corner of the box and bending it sweetly – and perfectly – into the opposite top corner. Applause for Ceccaroli and applause for a Tre Penne side who immediately respond to San Giovanni and close the gap on Cosmos, now only one point ahead. Faetano, by contrast, will have to wait for better days, never really in the game and forced to swallow a third defeat in a row. Here is the full picture from Matchday 17 of the league season: Click here for the updated league table.

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