Futsal: Fiorentino and San Giovanni looking to climb off the bottom

On the eve of the 12th matchday of the San Marino Futsal Championship, it is leaders Murata who will sit out with their scheduled bye. There’s a chance to pull level for Virtus, even though Michelotti’s side will soon have to observe their own enforced break. The Neroverdi will face Libertas tomorrow evening in Domagnano (20:15), with the Granata coming off four defeats in their last five outings. On paper it’s a very approachable fixture for the Acquaviva club, who will then be watching closely the match that follows on the same court. La Fiorita – just a single point behind Virtus in second – will take on a Domagnano side searching for their best form: while the most recent defeat to Murata was to be expected, the single point taken from clashes with Tre Penne, Cosmos and Juvenes-Dogana has certainly not left coach Gasperoni satisfied. By contrast, Pierangeli’s Gialloblù are enjoying an enviable run of form, crowned by victory in the direct clash with Tre Penne. They are also the only side among the top four to have already served their bye week: which means that, should they overcome Domagnano, only Murata could claim to have done better over the same number of games.

Tre Penne will kick off proceedings on the Fiorentino artificial surface, in what is set to be the day’s standout fixture. On the opposite side of the court will be Pennarossa, last season’s runners-up in San Marino. At present the Biancorossi are fifth, four points adrift of the nearest position which – at the end of the regular season – will grant direct access to the playoff quarter-finals. The same logic applied to La Fiorita holds true for Novembrini’s men: with the exception of the Montegiardino club, all those ahead of them still have their bye to serve. That makes this head-to-head with Tre Penne – beaten only by La Fiorita in recent weeks – even more significant. Immediately afterwards comes a relegation dogfight: Fiorentino and San Giovanni, locked together on three points, share bottom spot and from 21:45 will go head-to-head in search of a turning point. The threshold for access to the postseason is anything but high, given that 12th place – the last one that secures a berth – is only three points away.

Faetano and Tre Fiori currently occupy those spots. The former will feature in the only late fixture, on Thursday 11 December, scheduled in Acquaviva from 22:00. On the other side of the court will be Cailungo who, despite recent defeats, have been putting in good performances. Fiorentino’s Gialloblù have built their league position over the last four rounds, in which they have collected two wins. The same return over the last five games has been achieved by their next opponents, Folgore, who nonetheless sit eighth on 14 points. That match will be played at 21:45 in Dogana, immediately after the Serravalle derby between Juvenes-Dogana and Cosmos. It’s an enticing clash between two sides in contrasting form: the Biancorossazzurri arrive on the back of four wins and a draw with Virtus, while their Cosmos neighbours – following defeat to Tre Penne – have picked up eight points from their last four outings. At stake is sixth place, currently held by Cosmos, with the possibility – in the event of a draw – of being overtaken by the other Serravalle club, Folgore.

Below is the schedule for the 12th matchday of the league: