Championship: Quarter-finals get underway

With the Preliminary Round now behind us, eight teams remain in the hunt for the 2021-22 Scudetto. Four of them had already secured direct qualification for the quarter-finals, while the others booked their place by making it through the "ordeal" of the Preliminary Round – in one case with a couple of clear-cut results, but in the others having to battle until the very last of the 180 minutes. That was the case, for example, for Fiorentino, who had shone in the first leg against Folgore but then found themselves a goal down in the return match – a lead that suited Malandri’s side but was far from comfortable, as the Giallorossoneri, with just one goal, could have turned the tie on its head thanks to their better position in the regular season. None of that happened: the narrow defeat was confirmed at the final whistle and Fiorentino were able to claim the biggest scalp of all – that of the reigning champions. The draw, based on the ranking, has however given the Rossoblù another top-level opponent: La Fiorita, leaders of the Single Group and finalists in last season’s competition. The Montegiardino side have not played since the Coppa Titano semi-final on 27 April and entered the quarters as top seeds. As such, they were paired with the lowest-ranked team among those coming through the Preliminary Round, and can make the most of their better league position if, at the end of the second leg – scheduled for next Sunday – the aggregate score between the two sides is level. It should be remembered that even in the quarter-finals extra time will not be played. The first leg between La Fiorita and Fiorentino will be played in Acquaviva and will be refereed by Emiliano Albani. ©FSGC The match will be streamed live on the TITANI.TV platform, just like Tre Fiori v Faetano. Borgagni’s team return to action as freshly crowned Coppa Titano winners, and will face an ambitious, combative side driven by the flair of Nicola Palazzi and finally able to welcome back coach Girolomoni after a four-match touchline ban. For Tre Fiori, this tie is also another step towards the doblete, while Faetano will be looking to reverse the trend of the two previous meetings this season, both of which went the opponents’ way, with no goals scored by Faetano. The match will be played in Domagnano and refereed by Ucini. On the evidence of the regular season, the encounter that promises to be the most evenly balanced is Pennarossa v Virtus. Selva’s and Bizzotto’s teams finished the Single Group side by side in the table, but with one key difference: Virtus ended up in the top four and thus qualified directly for the play-offs, while Pennarossa missed out on that exclusive group. As a result, the Biancorossi had to negotiate two high-risk ties to keep their title hopes alive. And there really were plenty of risks for Selva’s men, who managed to salvage the first leg against Murata at the death and again had to come from behind in the return match, which they eventually won – but not before surviving a real scare when a penalty for Murata, missed by the Bianconeri, could have swung the tie in their favour with just a quarter of an hour remaining. Halilaj’s late goal swept away any ghosts and potential controversy, and the Chiesanuova side can now fully test themselves against Acquaviva’s team, with whom their head-to-head record this season is perfectly balanced: one win each. The match will be played at the Ezio Conti Stadium in Dogana. Referee: Cenci. After the disappointment in the cup and missing out on top spot in the league, Tre Penne are ready to return to the pitch, determined to chase the remaining targets, starting with European qualification. Ceci’s team have had time to prepare for this derby with Libertas, the only side not to have run any serious risks in the two-legged Preliminary Round tie, having swept aside Domagnano with a comprehensive 5-0 win in the first leg and an equally comfortable 3-0 victory in the return, where they were also able to rotate the squad. Cardini’s side have certainly flexed their muscles, looking to give fresh impetus to a season that has not always been marked by continuity, but has consistently been driven by the pursuit of the best possible result – even if, in these quarter-finals, the draw has given them the second-toughest possible opponent among the teams coming out of the Preliminary Round. Looking back at this season’s head-to-heads, the Granata resume from the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture, while Tre Penne will look to revive memories of their 3-2 win in the first meeting. The "Funivia derby" will be played in Montecchio under the refereeing of Mei. Here is the quarter-final schedule for the championship:

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