Futsal: Fiorentino and La Fiorita open play-off campaign with wins

The 2021-22 Campionato Sammarinese futsal play-offs kicked off last night, still under the previous format as far as the local futsal post-season is concerned. The title race is reserved for six teams – the top three from each group – with elimination coming after a second defeat in the bracket. The title charge was launched by the clashes between the runners-up and third-placed sides in each pool. Those matches confirmed the level shown by the same teams during the regular season: it was indeed La Fiorita and Fiorentino who, albeit via very different routes, booked their places in the third round. Palermino’s and Michelotti’s teams will face each other at 20:15 on Thursday in Fiorentino. Thursday will also bring the first elimination, which will befall the loser of the tie between Virtus and Domagnano (Fiorentino, 21:45). Both were beaten in the first round, though in very different games. Pollini’s Neroverdi stayed in it for a half against Fiorentino, who overturned Pascucci’s opener thanks to an own goal from Toccaceli and Righi’s strike deep into first-half stoppage time. After the interval, Pasqualini and Moretti put the tie to bed, sealing a 4-1 final scoreline. Penalties were needed, instead, to decide the tie between Domagnano and La Fiorita. The Lupi went in front early through Belloni and managed to keep their goal intact until the break and beyond. The equaliser only arrived midway through the second half, courtesy of Giacomo Bernardi. To make matters worse for Domagnano, Belloni then received a second yellow card for pulling back Mattioli just a minute after the 1-1. La Fiorita’s power play did not yield a decisive goal, so – after a further ten goalless minutes – two five-minute periods of extra time were required. No goals arrived in those additional spells either, sending the tie to a penalty shoot-out. Montegiardino’s penalty takers were flawless, opening and closing the series with successful kicks from Stolfi, Bernardi, Zanfino and Giuccioli. For Domagnano only Franciosi converted, with misses from Cecchini and Zanotti consigning Mussoni’s men to the second round – the stage that will produce the first elimination of this post-season. There will be a third match on Thursday evening, the only one to be played in Dogana: Folgore-Tre Fiori not only offers a rematch between the recent Titano Futsal Cup finalists but also serves as a quarter-final. The two regular-season leaders are playing for a place in the first title play-off semi-final.

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DOMAGNANO Serafini, Muraccini, Santarini, Franciosi, Baldelli, Menghi, Faetanini, Belloni, Piscaglia, Dolcini, Bollini, Zanotti, Cecchini Coach: Manuel Mussoni   LA FIORITA Zanotti, Paoletti, Zanfino, Gennari, Stolfi, Bernardi, Bollini, Gualandi, Beinat, Giuccioli, Pellegrini, Fabbri, Marchetti, Mattioli Coach: Leonardo Palermino   Referee 1: Gianmarco Ercolani Referee 2: Sirio Lanuti Referee 3: Nicolò Lerza Scorers: 8' Belloni, 47' Bernardi Booked: Cecchini, Belloni, Mattioli, Santarini Sent off: Belloni (second yellow card) Notes: La Fiorita win 5-2 on penalties. Penalty shoot-out sequence: Stolfi GOAL – Franciosi GOAL; Bernardi GOAL – Cecchini MISS; Zanfino GOAL – Zanotti MISS; Giuccioli GOAL.

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VIRTUS Amati, Pazzaglia, Battafarano, Francioni, Toccaceli, Morganti, Casadei, Bizzocchi, Pascucci, Zanotti, Tamagnini, Selva Coach: Luca Pollini   FIORENTINO Geri, Gasperoni, Gabriele, Maiani, Righi, Moretti, Pasqualini, Ceccoli, Bollini, Carlini, Giacobbi, Contato, Toccaceli Coach: Matteo Michelotti   Referee 1: Cristian Tonelli Referee 2: Laurentiu Ilie Referee 3: Nicolò Lerza Scorers: 7' Pascucci, 14' o.g. Toccaceli, 30'+1' Righi, 40' Pasqualini, 46' Moretti Booked: Selva, Contato

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