European Cups: all to play for between La Fiorita and Zimbru, Cosmos edged out

There is some regret, but the results achieved by La Fiorita and Cosmos on a Conference League night are by no means to be dismissed. The side from Montegiardino, at home to Moldova’s Zimbru, long nurtured hopes of travelling to Chișinău with a precious lead to defend. At one point in the second half, with Zimbru rather toothless and La Fiorita ahead thanks to Casolla, that lead could even have been doubled. Sliding doors. Fate had it that, after Casolla’s missed chance to make it 2-0, it was the Moldovans who found the spark to draw level. But everything is still open, and there is every reason to believe that in the return leg Manfredini’s men will do everything they can to qualify – a result that would earn them a tie with a prestigious opponent in Fenerbahçe. Just like his Moldovan counterpart, Thomas Manfredini opts for a 3-5-2: the strike partnership is formed by Francesco Casolla and the much-anticipated Germán Denis. It is the former Atalanta and Napoli forward, among others, who steps up to take a free-kick he himself had won. The position is ideal – about 25 metres out, central – but the outcome less so: the ball sails well over after clipping the wall. Zimbru respond in kind: Dedechko’s set piece also ends up in the stands, though in his case without a deflection. La Fiorita cover the pitch well and control the tempo and possession with authority. Vivan is virtually untroubled, while his opposite number Mostovei sees the navy-blue shirts coming closer and closer. Until, on 33 minutes, the deserved opener arrives: Nava threads a quick ball through for Denis, who slips; the pass is still perfect for Casolla, who hits it first time and forces the ball through Mostovei’s hands, the keeper far from flawless on the play. The first half drifts by with La Fiorita calmly in charge and a decidedly lacklustre Zimbru. In an attempt to jolt his side into life, the visiting coach plays two cards immediately after the break. The move will pay off, but not before a huge scare. Minute 56: Denis cushions the ball brilliantly with a back-heel into the path of Grassi. The midfielder whips in the perfect cross for Casolla who, left all alone in the heart of the box, strikes it on the volley from the penalty spot: it is a gilt‑edged chance, but the ball flies over in astonishing fashion. The frustration among the hosts, crowd included, swells further when, just a few minutes later, Zimbru find a way to punish a defence that had been rock solid until then. It is one of the players introduced at the start of the second half, Căruntu, who beats Vivan with a diagonal finish after Fatica had tried to stop him at the edge of the area, going to ground in the challenge. The appeals for a foul from the Montegiardino players are waved away by the Andorran referee: the game is back level and, on top of that, the momentum swings the other way. It is now Zimbru who are on the front foot. Another substitute, Damașcan, goes for glory with a right‑footed effort from the edge of the area at the end of a long attacking move: good idea, but the shot is high. It is not, however, the visitors’ best chance to complete the turnaround. That comes in the dying moments, and it takes two sensational goal‑line interventions – first from Brighi and then from Vivan – to keep out Damașcan’s close‑range efforts. Here too, La Fiorita protest for a fall by Olcese at the very start of the move. Running on fumes for some time, La Fiorita nonetheless manage to repel Zimbru’s final forays and ultimately see out a draw that leaves qualification completely up for grabs. In the other match of the evening, even a fine performance from Cosmos is not enough to avoid defeat against Sutjeska. At the DG Arena Ljeskopolje in Podgorica – the capital of Montenegro – the hosts prevail thanks to Marković’s goal on 79 minutes. The scorching temperatures – over thirty degrees and therefore a double cooling break midway through each half – do nothing to help the tempo for either side, who are forced to manage their energy levels. Nicola Berardi’s team line up in a 5-4-1 with Pastorelli and Zulli out wide and Nisi through the middle. Sutjeska see more of the ball but the Gialloverdi also try to show themselves in Giljen’s area: in the 6th minute, in fact, Zulli strikes well from the left towards the near post, the ball only narrowly missing the target. The Montenegrins begin to apply pressure but the Cosmos defence holds firm, especially shortly after the quarter-hour mark with a superb save from Aldo Simoncini on a header following a corner. The minutes tick by and the sides go in at half-time goalless, although in the 39th minute Berardi is forced to withdraw the injured Palazzi (replaced by an impressive Kevin Boccioletti on his debut in the Gialloverdi shirt). After the restart Cosmos begin to suffer, even if Simoncini remains alert at the back and repels the opposition attacks. Fatigue starts to set in and Sutjeska take advantage, striking on 79 minutes: the move is built down the left; a back‑heel pass finds substitute Marković, who from the edge of the box manages to beat Simoncini. Cosmos then succeed in containing further attacks and, in added time, Matteo Prandelli – who came on in the second half – attempts a moment of magic with a fine effort from distance, but the ball finishes well off target. Towards the end it is Marković again who threatens, unleashing an excellent long‑range strike that crashes off the crossbar and could – perhaps – have all but sealed qualification. Instead, it finishes 1-0 to Sutjeska: in less than a week’s time (Thursday 20 July at 20:45 at the San Marino Stadium) Cosmos will throw everything forward to try and turn this tie around.  

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UEFA Europa Conference League, First Qualifying Round | La Fiorita – Zimbru 1-1 LA FIORITA Vivan; Brighi, Fatica, Arrigoni; Nava (from 71' Zafferani), J. Semprini (from 63' Paradisi), Amati, Grassi (from 71' Vitaioli), Sottile; Denis (from 81' Olcese), Casolla (from 71' Guidi) Substitutes: Zavoli, Santi, Costa, M. Semprini, Castellazzi, Pancotti Coach: Thomas Manfredini   ZIMBRU Mostovei; Furtună (from 46' Ștefan), Burghiu (from 46' Căruntu), Misarăş; Dedov, Dedechko, Djou, Soumah (from 66' Damașcan), Macriţchii (from 73' Gaiu); Alaribe (from 60' Samiev), Răileanu Substitutes: Agachi, Bitca, Ieseanu Coach: Lilian Popescu   Referee: Luis Texeira (AND) Assistants: Juan Guiu Serra and Rui Miguel Maciel de Queiros (AND) Fourth Official: Marta San Juan Casado (AND) Booked: Răileanu, Amati, Paradisi, Zafferani Scorers: 33' Casolla, 64' Căruntu Note: 521 spectators.  

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UEFA Europa Conference League, First Qualifying Round | Sutjeska – Cosmos 1-0 SUTJESKA Giljen (from 58' Ličina); Grivić, Nikolić, Simić, Đinović (from 46' Šaletić); Krstović, Matanović; Živković (from 80' Aničić), Pavlović (from 58' Marković), Vuković (from 80' Mohamed), Striković Substitutes: Dubljević, Žižić, Rudović, Pajović, P. Đurković, N. Đurković, Damjanović Coach: Nenad Brnović   COSMOS Simoncini; D'Addario, Di Maio, Maggioli, Palazzi (39' Boccioletti), Iodice; Pastorelli (82' Prandelli), Errico (82' Adami), Loiodice, Zulli (65' Ben Kacem); Nisi Substitutes: Batori, Renzetti, Mularoni, Cucchi, Righini Coach: Nicola Berardi   Referee: Jason Barcelo (GIB) Assistants: Daniel Gomez Gordillo (GIB) and Rubèn Navarro Montes (GIB) Fourth Official: Patrick Canepa (GIB) Booked: Mohamed, Nisi, Krstović Scorers: 79' Marković Note: 550 spectators.

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