Championship: Virtus attempt to break away at the start of a month of head‑to‑head clashes

Murata and Juvenes-Dogana approach the Domagnano clash with the clear intention of keeping things tight, a mindset that produces a first half that is anything but electrifying. The goalless scoreline at the interval reflects the balance of the opening period, which sees a couple of attempts at either end. Merli tries his luck first but misses the target from a set piece, while Salemme forces Gentilini into action at the other end. On the half-hour Pasolini has a golden chance on his right foot, but fires blanks from an excellent position. Before the break, a thunderous effort from Ricci is pushed away to the side by Gentilini. The game struggles to catch fire even after the restart: the first notable move comes past the midway point of the half, with a Murata counter-attack that frees substitute Piscopo to cross. It is an inviting ball that flashes right across the penalty area without finding a touch. Camillini’s men show again on 81 minutes through Echel, who does it all himself only to send a right-footed effort too central to trouble Gentilini. The sting is in the tail for the Bianconeri, who, through a driving run from Tomassoni – a January arrival from Tre Fiori – find the decisive ball to claim all three points. Credit is shared with Del Vecchio, who curls a right-footer towards the far post that even Gentilini cannot reach. No goals in Dogana, where La Fiorita look the better side for long spells but cannot break through. Cicarelli fires a right-footed effort over from twenty metres early on, then catches everyone out with a quickly taken free-kick for Gasperoni – denied by an excellent save from Nardi. Girolomoni’s goalkeeper then launches Bernardi’s coast-to-coast run, as he carries the ball for 60 metres before feeding Dolcini in the box: first touch and immediate right-footed shot, held on the line by Vivan. La Fiorita threaten again through the Sammarinese duo Riccardi-Vitaioli, with the latter’s right-footed volley crucially blocked by the body of a defender. The final stages of the half belong to the Montegiardino club, but the killer blow is missing: Gasperoni and Zaccaria both fail to hit the target from two great openings. Tre Fiori are more positive after the break and go close on 56 minutes through Manfroni – whose effort is blocked by Mazzotti with the goalkeeper beaten. Vivan appears beaten again on the midfielder’s subsequent header, which drops centimetres wide. Two minutes later, though, he redeems himself against Benedettini’s left-footer, denying what looked a certain opener. La Fiorita respond through Mazzotti, who cannot capitalise on a loose ball in the box. Shortly afterwards comes the best chance of the first hour, falling to Zafferani: he bursts down the flank and cuts inside to unleash a right-footed effort at the near post, turned behind by a stunning reflex stop from Nardi, who saves with his foot. An awkward back-pass from Olcese puts Mazzotti in trouble; he is robbed by Prandelli, who works the ball onto his left but shoots well off target. La Fiorita’s best opportunity instead comes in the 86th minute: Mazzotti is inexplicably left alone at the far post and his knockdown is perfect for Massari, who from just inside the six-yard box sends his effort over the bar. Moments later Lunadei is left with his head in his hands after failing to steer his close-range header into the corner. It finishes goalless in Dogana, where La Fiorita slip five points behind the leaders. The match at the Stadio Federico Crescentini in Fiorentino is a lively affair, with Virtus extending their unbeaten run and increasing their lead over the nearest chasers. After one chance apiece for Lombardi and Bara, the Neroverdi take the lead thanks to Benincasa’s towering header from a Buonocunto cross. The forward from Bologna appears to be right on the edge of offside but times his run perfectly between Gueye and Galeone and gives Benedettini no chance. Fiorentino protest again on 19 minutes for a potential handball by Battistini following a run in behind from Bara. At the other end Benedettini twice proves decisive against Pecci: first with his feet, then by stretching to his right. In between, another good chance falls to the winger, who fails to hit the target from a promising position. The second half is every bit as thrilling, and begins with Abouzziane firing a left-footed effort into the side netting. In reply, Sabato almost doubles the lead with a powerful header that Benedettini turns away in fine style. From the subsequent corner there is a clear handball by a Fiorentino defender in the box, although the referee judges it to have been caused by an attacking foul. The penalty is only delayed by a couple of minutes, eventually awarded for a foul by Boubacar Diop on Benincasa. From the spot Buonocunto keeps his cool and makes it 2-0 to Virtus. Fiorentino try to react through Belward’s left-footed effort, but he is denied by a fantastic save from Passaniti – made redundant in any case by Bellavista’s raised flag. Tarini’s players pour everything into getting back into the match, but lack accuracy – as shown on 69 minutes when Belward heads off target. Virtus are able to manage the game and break into space, going close to a third with Buonocunto from the edge of the area and then with Piscaglia’s header from a corner. At 2-0 the match drifts towards full time, with the best chances falling to the reigning champions, who are inches away from another goal through Pecci – thwarted by Bottoni’s crucial intervention. Nor do Fiorentino’s late surges bring reward: witness Chiaruzzi’s first-time left‑footed strike, which whistles not far from Passaniti’s top corner with 84 minutes on the clock. There is nothing more of note, aside from the updated table which now shows Virtus five points clear of La Fiorita at the start of a decisive month for the Neroverdi: Cosmos, La Fiorita, Murata and Folgore await – in succession – as Bizzotto’s side look to fuel their title ambitions. Sunday’s late fixture pits Folgore against Cailungo. Sarti’s side – with their coach suspended and replaced on the bench by Gasperoni – create the first big opportunity with Costa’s run off the ball, but he blasts over from close range. The reply comes through Turrisi, who heads wide from a great position, and Sartori, off target from mid-range. Folgore take control of possession but Gallinetta is rarely tested: the red-and-green goalkeeper is alert on Turrisi’s cross-shot on 22 minutes, tipping the ball onto the bar. Lasagni’s team increasingly push up into the opposition box and go close from set-pieces as well, with Touré and Miori both missing the target. The goal arrives from the penalty spot at the end of the first half: the referee punishes contact between Luvisi and Ura, and Francesco Sartori converts flawlessly. Raul Ura is Folgore’s extra man and on 51 minutes he goes within inches of the top corner. Six minutes later Folgore have a free-kick from the edge of the box and try their luck with Pancotti, but Gallinetta is solid at his near post. Nothing, however, compares to Guddo’s save on 59 minutes, when he reacts brilliantly to deny Hirsch an equaliser; the former Folgore man had tried to catch him out at the near post after cutting inside on his left. Pancotti attempts something similar shortly after the hour, only for his shot to clip the far post on its way wide. The game is now wide open and Cailungo almost level on 63 minutes, when Hirsch’s pressing forces a cross with Guddo out of position and Costa sends the ball just wide – helped on its way by a crucial deflection. Any doubts are then removed by Miori’s close-range touch, as he meets Sartori’s cross and gets in front of his marker to head past Gallinetta. The full-back then turns provider again on 70 minutes, picking out Bitti at the near post, but the substitute’s first-time left-footed effort is one to forget. Shortly afterwards Cailungo have the chance to get back into the game: Labas threads a superb ball through for Hirsch, who finds himself clean through on Guddo but tries to beat the goalkeeper with a delicate dink that is saved. Folgore respond through Adami Martins and Ura, both close to making it 3-0 and guaranteeing a calmer finale for Lasagni’s men. Instead, on 85 minutes, two Cailungo substitutes reopen the contest. Gori spins in the box and forces a brilliant reflex save from Guddo, but he can do nothing about Sarti’s tap-in. Folgore’s saviour is, once again, Ura, who on 88 minutes seals the 3-1 win on the counter-attack, perfectly managed by Bernardi. It is an important victory for Folgore who, taking advantage of the simultaneous results of the Fiorentino clubs, climb into third place on their own. Here is the full slate from Matchday 19 of the Campionato Sammarinese: Click here for the updated league table

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