Coppa Titano BKN301: second legs of the Round of 16 tomorrow

It’s time for the first verdicts of the season in the race for the Coppa Titano BKN301, which will be awarded in spring 2024. Holders Virtus will be following closely the matches scheduled between tomorrow and Thursday evening, as they are exempt from playing at this stage of the competition. Bizzotto’s men will face the winners of Murata-Domagnano. Despite very different league form so far, the Bianconeri and the Giallorossi will restart from the 0-0 with which the first leg ended. Tomorrow evening at the Federico Crescentini Stadium in Fiorentino (20:45), another draw would send the tie into extra time and – if needed – all the way to a penalty shoot-out. There is balance across all the ties, with the exception of San Giovanni-Fiorentino. Tognacci’s side are called to a miracle comeback after the heavy defeat suffered just under a month ago. For the Rossoblù, that 4-1 win then represents a substantial down payment on qualification, to be defended tomorrow night in Domagnano (20:45). There, they would theoretically meet the winners of Cailungo-La Fiorita. Despite a match largely controlled by the Montegiardino club, only one goal separated the sides in the first leg: that is the platform Cailungo will want to build on, aiming to level the aggregate score and then play their chances of progressing. For Manfredini, the puzzle is how to handle a midweek cup tie wedged between two key league fixtures, against Cosmos (1-1) and the upcoming clash with Virtus. Barring surprises, Marco Gasperoni – suspended for next Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash – is expected to start tomorrow in Montecchio (20:45). The only match not available on Titani.tv, due to renovation works at the Ezio Conti in Dogana, is Pennarossa-Folgore, which resumes from the slender advantage earned by Lasagni’s side on 28 September. On the other hand, the Chiesanuova club – although still winless this season – are showing clear signs of progress, having lost by a single goal to Juvenes-Dogana and Tre Penne in their most recent league outings. Tomorrow (20:45), Nobile’s very young group will at least aim to take the tie to extra time, if not to complete a full turnaround within the ninety minutes. The winners will go on to face whoever comes through Tre Fiori-Faetano. That tie already has two meetings this season, both more than entertaining. After the 2-2 draw in the first leg, Pellegrino and De Falco’s sides put on a show again last Sunday, drawing 3-3 at the end of a pulsating encounter. For this reason, the next chapter of this “colour derby” – the clubs represent different Castelli, Fiorentino and Faetano – is wide open to any outcome. All in all, there should be no shortage of entertainment on Thursday evening in Acquaviva (20:45). The same should be true, at least given the top technical quality of both sides, in the clash between Cosmos and Tre Penne. Last season’s title rivals will meet in Montecchio on Thursday (20:45), restarting from the 1-1 that closed the first leg. In terms of how the competition might unfold, it is a real pity that one of them will have to bow out so early in the hunt for the Coppa Titano BKN301: last year the Gialloverdi were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Virtus, who went on to lift the trophy. This time Berardi’s men must take on the reigning Campioni di San Marino. The next step for whoever is celebrating on Thursday evening will be a tie against the winners of Juvenes-Dogana – Libertas. Biancorossazzurri and Granata are currently experiencing completely opposite runs of form, but the Borgo Maggiore club have shown in the recent past that they can reinvent themselves in Coppa Titano fixtures. That is one more reason for Amati’s side to keep their focus high in a match that may not be settled even after 120 minutes. The first leg ended 1-1, so here too extra time and penalties may be required to determine who goes through. Here is the full schedule of the second legs in the 2023-24 Coppa Titano BKN301 Round of 16, all of which will be shown live and free to stream on Titani.tv (Italian commentary):

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