Futsal: the Fiorentino derby lights up Matchday 18

No point beating around the bush: the eyes of futsal fans in San Marino – as well as of the direct rivals for the upper reaches of the table – will all be fixed on the Fiorentino derby, where Michelotti’s Rossoblù will face their Tre Fiori cousins tomorrow night at 21:45. For the latter, it is perhaps the last chance to close in on top spot – currently shared by Fiorentino and Folgore and ten points away. Nothing dramatic if they fail, because even the team that finishes first at the end of the regular season will inevitably have to go through the play-offs to compete for the national title. An hour and a half earlier it will be San Giovanni v Cailungo, in what is in every respect another intra-castle derby – this time in the Castello di Borgo Maggiore. For the Rossoverdi, a place in the post-season is at stake, currently six points away and specifically represented by the position occupied by their next opponents. Ending up in the bottom trio would mean an early end to their title challenge. A scenario that for the moment would also involve Cosmos, another side – like the previous ones – engaged in a derby within their own Castello, in this case Serravalle. Zonzini’s Juvenes-Dogana, the only team in the top half of the table to have already served their rest day, do not intend to drop points that could prove decisive when the play-off pairings are set. For Muccioli’s Gialloverdi, on nine points, the goal in the second game in Dogana is to pick up points and build on the draw with Virtus. In the first match of the evening, it will be Faetano v Tre Penne. Separated by just two points in the table, they are both right on the edge of the red zone. From 20:15 tomorrow we will find out whether the club from Città will move swiftly away from danger, or whether Corbelli’s Gialloblù will tighten the pack even further around third from bottom. This situation also directly involves Murata, despite two wins and a draw collected in their last three outings. Cellarosi’s men cannot rest easy with 14 points on the board. Virtus, fifth in the standings, are an opponent not to be underestimated, even though the recent draw with Cosmos showed that Pollini’s Neroverdi are not unbeatable. Also decidedly intriguing, for its technical content and more, is La Fiorita v Domagnano. The 20:15 kick-off in Acquaviva will see the Giallorossi forced to cope with several absences: the runners-up of San Marino will try to make the most of it, being just three points off third place, currently occupied by Tre Fiori. And if Fiorentino confirm the steamroller form shown so far, this is the kind of opportunity Ghiotti’s side cannot afford to miss. Like Fiorentino, so too Folgore. The holders of everything (Campionato Sammarinese, Titano Futsal Cup and Futsal Super Cup) will face Libertas at the Multieventi in Tuesday’s late kick-off at 21:30. On paper, the outcome looks a formality, and at the final whistle Spada’s men will hope to be celebrating top spot on their own – or at least to be keeping pace in the joint lead that Folgore have shared with Fiorentino for sixteen matchdays. Here is the programme for Matchday 18 of the 2022-23 Campionato Sammarinese di futsal: Click here for the updated standings.

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