Coppa Titano: Tortori enough for Virtus. Neroverde treble!

Virtus complete their seasonal treble, adding the Coppa Titano to the Super Cup and Campionato Sammarinese already on the shelf. The final against Tre Fiori is a real battle and is ultimately decided by a single goal: Tortori’s strike shortly after the quarter-hour mark.

As was easy to predict, it takes a while for the match to really catch fire. In the opening 16 minutes there are only a couple of half-chances, one for each side: Bernardi pulls the ball back from the by-line for Manfroni’s right-footed volley, blocked by Sabato; then Rinaldi sends Pecci through, the latter doing well to wriggle between the yellow-and-blue shirts but letting himself down with the control. That moment, however, is the sign that Virtus are growing into the game after an opening phase spent studying their opponents. And the breakthrough arrives soon after. Pini overhits his pass for Bernardi and Ciacci pounces, releasing Pecci into acres of space. He drives forward for metres and metres before skipping past Pesaresi and rolling a perfect low cross into the path of Tortori. The number 14’s first-time finish is clinical: he curls the ball inside the far post, leaving Nardi helpless, the keeper having been virtually inactive up to that point, just like his opposite number De Angelis. Tre Fiori react, but not immediately. First, Virtus create a second, huge chance: Pecci, first time, sends Tortori clear on the left; his cross picks out Rea in the middle, but the defender, with a free header, gifts the ball straight to Sabato – the man who had actually started the move. The full-back tries to pick out the top corner furthest from him, but his placed effort sails over, and by some distance. Once the scare is over, Tre Fiori grow into the contest. A free-kick on the corner of the box, won by Prandelli (who also draws a booking for Rinaldi), is taken by Bernardi, who curls just wide. There was a deflection though, so the referee gives a corner, which is swung onto the head of Prandelli, totally unmarked and able to adjust his body: his header is cleared almost on the line by Gori, but he leaves the ball at Rea’s feet. The defender lives up to his surname by committing the clanger of blazing over a gilt‑edged chance that was simply begging to be tucked away. Even so, Girolomoni’s side do not lose momentum. On 35 minutes there is another corner, this time aimed at Pesaresi, whose header flies over. Shortly afterwards, Prandelli drops into the hole and comes up with a brilliant pass for Manfroni, who charges into the area at pace but drags his right-footed diagonal effort too much. A quick Tre Fiori break ends with Bernardi’s left-footer comfortably held by De Angelis. At the other end – in stoppage time – Pecci catches a dropping ball on the edge of the box but fires over.

At half-time Girolomoni changes one winger and switches the other. Guerra replaces Pini, while Manfroni moves over to the left. Sami immediately tries to pick out Bernardi, who is a matter of centimetres away from converting his teasing cross. Then the number 4 goes it alone, carrying the ball forward for several metres before unleashing a powerful strike from outside the area that rises just over the bar. Virtus respond through Tortori: the goalscorer prowls menacingly along the edge of the box, squares up Tomassini, cuts quickly onto his right and bends a shot towards the far post, the ball finishing not far wide. The match then falls into another lull for a long spell. Until the 70th minute, when a double flash of excitement ignites the Stadium crowd. Rinaldi sends Tortori in behind Tomassini and the forward races clear to face Nardi, who times his rush out superbly to smother. The Tre Fiori keeper quickly launches play in the direction of Bernardi, who bursts past Piscaglia and immediately goes for goal, only to find Rinaldi’s crucial block. By that stage Bizzotto had already brought on Golinucci, Lombardi and Vallocchia. Shortly after that double chance, Girolomoni plays the Dolcini and Sensoli cards. Tre Fiori attempt to set up a siege, but get very little from it. Virtus hold their lines superbly. Whenever they can, Bizzotto’s men also look to kill the contest on the counterattack. Aside from an ambitious effort from halfway by Lombardi, which flies well off target, and a similar attempt from Piovaccari (also introduced, like De Lucia) that never troubles Nardi, the green-and-blacks waste a huge chance in stoppage time, when Tortori pulls the yellow-and-blue defence apart and leads a 3 v 2 break but, after exchanging passes with Vallocchia, finishes it off with a tame chip. Tre Fiori throw everything at it: Errichiello and Censoni come on; above all, the team’s centre of gravity shifts deep into Virtus territory, with Nardi effectively acting as a sweeper, almost on the halfway line. It is all in vain: Virtus once again showcase their defensive solidity. They have a slight scare only on a miscommunication between Piscaglia and De Angelis (the defender gets to the ball before his keeper and almost lobs him with his header) and on a promising knock-down from Tomassini for Prandelli, who slips at the moment of shooting. But that is all. The Acquaviva side lift their second Coppa Titano, two years on from their first triumph, while Tre Fiori suffer a second 1-0 defeat at the Stadium in the space of seven days. This one hurts far more than the last, although European football – already secured – will soon arrive to soothe some of the yellow-and-blues’ disappointment.

Coppa Titano 2024-25, Final | Virtus – Tre Fiori 1-0

VIRTUS (4-2-3-1)

De Angelis; Gori (85’ De Lucia), Rinaldi, Piscaglia, Sabato; Montanari, Ciacci (58’ Golinucci); Pecci (67’ Lombardi), Buonocunto (67’ Vallocchia), Tortori; Benincasa (85’ Piovaccari)

Substitutes: Passaniti, Muggeo, Giacomoni, Rizzo

Coach: Luigi Bizzotto

TRE FIORI (3-5-2)

Nardi; Tomasini, Rea, Pesaresi (70’ Sensoli); Manfroni, Benedettini (83’ Censoni), Braschi, Sami (70’ Dolcini), Pini (46’ Guerra); Prandelli, Bernardi (83’ Errichiello)

Substitutes: Castagnoli, Boldini, Ciccione, Terenzi

Coach: Danilo Girolomoni

Referee: Antonio Ucini

Assistants: Gianmarco Ercolani, Giuseppe Marco Macaddino

Fourth official: William Villa

Booked: Rinaldi, Piscaglia, Tomassini

Scorer: 18’ Tortori