Coppa Titano: Virtus and Pennarossa close in on Quarter-finals, Folgore win 2-0

With Wednesday night's three postponed fixtures, the first legs of the Coppa Titano Round of 16 are now complete. A comfortable, never-in-doubt win for Virtus, in control from the opening minutes and – as usual – dangerous down the flank patrolled by Piscitella. The first clear chance comes on 28 minutes, when Amati sets himself up for a right-footed volley that clips Suzzi’s crossbar. It is the warning before the opener, which arrives five minutes later: Piscitella exchanges passes on the edge of the box with Buonocunto and drills a powerful effort inside the near post, putting Virtus in front. Less than 200 seconds later, the winger doubles his tally: Gjoni fires in a cross to the far post, where Piscitella only has to tap home to make it 2-0 on 36 minutes. Before the interval, the 1993-born winger has the chance to complete his hat-trick, but this time he has to bow to Suzzi’s reflex save. The Neroverdi’s third arrives early in the second half, this time through Blanco: the midfielder meets Amati’s corner with a perfectly timed header, effectively sealing Virtus’ passage to the Quarter-finals. Murata respond with a wayward right-footed effort from Sacchini, who is also involved in the counter that, on 75 minutes, ends with Di Mauro’s cross to the far post, where Alessandro Baldazzi produces an impeccable header – but only the post can deny him the goal that would have made it 3-1. Before that, Muratori’s side had gone close to a fourth goal through substitute Lisanti’s initiatives. There are a few anxious moments late on, when Suzzi bravely throws himself at Gjoni’s feet and collides with the Virtus forward. Fortunately nothing serious for the goalkeeper, who prevents a fourth for the Acquaviva club – who are in any case all but through to the next round.

Despite a far more convincing first half than opponents Libertas, Folgore have to wait until the 41st minute to take the lead. Early efforts from Ura and Pancotti fail to trouble Gueye’s goal, with the Libertas keeper standing tall to deny Ura on 8 minutes. The Granata respond with an almost spectacular strike from Melandri on 35 minutes: the forward races onto a loose ball in midfield and immediately hits it first time with the outside of his boot. The trajectory loops over De Angelis but – after bouncing – also over the crossbar of the empty net. Heads in hands for Libertas, who shortly afterwards concede the 0-1. Fabbri hits the post from a corner, but for Folgore it is Toure who pounces on the rebound to turn in a deserved opener. After the restart, Ricci’s men double their lead on 51 minutes through Augusto Garcia Rufer: played onside by Fabbri’s long ball, he keeps his cool to beat Gueye from a tight angle. Libertas’ reaction revolves around the introduction of Greco, who shoots just wide from inside the box. The episode galvanises Achille Fabbri’s side, who are the better team in the final half-hour. After Vandi heads over, Melandri once again has no luck: on 71 minutes, his diagonal effort – teed up by second-half substitute Cristiani – crashes against the post with De Angelis already beaten. The Borgo Maggiore club would have deserved to halve the deficit, which would have made the second leg significantly more manageable for the Granata – who are themselves close to a knockout blow on Malaponti’s counter-attack, the forward blasting over in front of Gueye. There is nothing further of note in the closing stages, allowing Folgore to celebrate a valuable 2-0 win that gives them a solid platform from which to target a place in the Quarter-finals.

In Acquaviva, it is Abouzzine’s tap-in that gives Pennarossa a half-time lead. Calderone’s 21st-minute run is the first real threat and, after Tordella’s save, lays the groundwork for the Biancorossi’s 1-0. Costantini’s side underline their advantage through Maltoni’s raids, in particular the move on 39 minutes when the winger bursts past the goalkeeper: Quaranta produces a monumental goal-line clearance to prevent Cailungo’s downfall. It would have been a hammer blow for the Rossoverdi, who five minutes earlier had been reduced to ten men following Bua’s dismissal – punished by the referee for an off-the-ball strike. Before the break, Marconi has a golden chance to double the lead but shoots wide from a great position. After the restart, the introduction of Bernardi injects life into Cailungo’s attacking play, with the substitute threatening as early as the 48th minute. Ten minutes later Conti also tries his luck from long range, forcing Manzaroli into a punching save. With the extra man, Pennarossa carve out another chance through Belward, who skips past Quaranta and cuts the ball back for Mema: last season’s top scorer, however, fails to hit the target. The winger is more effective when going alone: on 70 minutes he drives past two defenders and, once inside the area, beats Tordella at the near post with a well-placed left-footer to make it 2-0 for the Chiesanuova club. Cailungo feel the impact and end up conceding a third Biancorosso goal on 85 minutes from a move involving Marco Evaristi and Arba, with the latter lifting the ball over the goalkeeper with a delicate dink. In added time there is a further red card for Cailungo, this time for Tordella: the goalkeeper is sent off for slapping an opponent on the back of the head with play stopped.

The full slate of first-leg results from the 2026-27 Coppa Titano Round of 16 is provided below.