Futsal: direct clashes in the chasing pack

With Folgore sitting out a bye week in the penultimate fixture of the first half of the season, Fiorentino are eyeing the chance to open up a sizeable eight-point gap over their closest challengers in the league. Michelotti’s side have so far enjoyed a perfect record, boasting both the best attack (in relation to games played) and the best defence in the competition. It is hard to imagine that Faetano will be the side to inflict a first slip-up on the reigning champions in tomorrow’s second game in Acquaviva. Before that, Murata and Tre Fiori will lock horns. Currently fourth and fifth in the table respectively, one is targeting a share of second place – potentially alongside two other teams – while the other is aiming to chip away at the seven-point gap that currently separates them from Folgore. Folgore are the benchmark also for the ambitions of La Fiorita and Virtus, who meet in the late kick-off at the Multieventi – Wednesday at 21:45. On the Serravalle court, the Gialloblù are looking to draw level with the Giallorossoneri in second place, which would further underline the competitiveness of the Montegiardino club – who, incidentally, won their only meeting this season with Folgore (2-0). Virtus, for their part, will not be mere spectators and Pollini’s side have motivation coming from both directions: looking upwards, they could climb to fifth place and move within striking distance of the top four; looking over their shoulders, Domagnano, Juvenes-Dogana and Tre Penne are all snapping at their heels. Of those three, the Serravalle club are the only ones in action tomorrow in Dogana. Their opponents will be Pennarossa, who are determined to bring an end to a run of six straight defeats – all heavy reverses, with the sole exception of the 3-2 loss to Cosmos at the start of December. Juvenes-Dogana, meanwhile, arrive off the back of a series of tricky fixtures in which they nevertheless managed to take a point off both Tre Fiori and La Fiorita, lost narrowly to Virtus and swept aside Faetano (12-1). The following match, again on the pitch next to the Stadio Ezio Conti, will pit San Giovanni against Cosmos. Of the two, it is clearly Cosmos who go into the game as favourites. The Gialloverdi have won two of their last four outings and generally do not slip up against sides considered within their reach. It is a different story for Gualtieri’s team, who sit bottom of the table with just one win to their name – recorded on 13 November against Faetano. Things are no better for Cailungo, who share the same record of eleven defeats and a single victory so far. The derby with Libertas is a chance for the Rossoverdi to avenge the defeat that saw them knocked out in the First Round of the Titano Futsal Cup – and they can once again count on Sabatino. Libertas are going through a decent spell of form, having lost by the narrowest of margins to Juvenes-Dogana and Murata at either end of a five-game sequence which has also yielded two wins and a draw. The next match in Fiorentino also promises plenty of talking points: Domagnano vs Tre Penne is a head‑to‑head on the border between the two halves of the table. On the left side are Domagnano, who with a victory could potentially climb into fifth place; on the right, just three points behind the Wolves, are Tre Penne. Their recent form is almost identical, with three wins and two defeats apiece. For both sides it is a real test of maturity ahead of a second part of the season that must confirm their credentials and – ideally for Gasperoni and Ghiotti – improve their standing in the table. It will also be Tre Penne’s first outing of the calendar year, and they will have to cope with a significant absence: Jacopo Gamba is suspended by the sports judge following a second yellow card in their previous match, a 10-2 win over Faetano in December. Here is the full schedule for Matchday 14:

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