Futsal: Folgore held by La Fiorita, Cailungo win throws playoff race wide open

It was a 25th matchday full of surprises last night in the futsal league. Folgore were stopped by a draw with La Fiorita, Fiorentino won to move back alone at the top, while Cailungo claimed a second consecutive victory, sensationally putting themselves back in contention for a playoff spot. Michelotti’s Rossoblu did not slip up against Virtus, sealing a 22nd win in 23 games. The match immediately went their way in the first half thanks to a brace from Andrea Ercolani. Virtus failed to react and, early in the second half, conceded a third goal to Matteo Moretti. Playing at the same time as Folgore, the Rossoblu went back into the dressing room with sweet news coming from Fiorentino. Spada’s side were in fact held by La Fiorita and so the Rossoblu returned to first place with a two‑point lead. Davide Ghiotti’s Gialloblu quickly went in front through Jacopo Giuccioli and reached half‑time 1-0 up. After the restart Folgore replied with an equaliser from Thomas Pellegrini but La Fiorita stood up to the reigning champions: first Francesco Stolfi, then Jacopo Giuccioli struck to open up a two‑goal lead. Folgore – as a top side – regrouped and managed first to pull one back through Pellegrini, then to snatch a draw through Michele Ercolani. The Giallorossoneri are now second and, if they want to reclaim top spot, they will absolutely have to win the head‑to‑head with Fiorentino on matchday 28 (17 or 18 April, date still to be confirmed). The other big surprise of the day was Cailungo’s win, which has dramatically reopened the playoff race. Only a few weeks ago Bollini’s team seemed to be out of the running, but thanks to back‑to‑back victories they can still dream of the post‑season. The clash in Acquaviva against Cosmos was thrilling from the very start. Giovanni Righi put the Gialloverdi ahead early on and they doubled their lead on 20 minutes through Matteo Giorgini. Shortly afterwards Jacopo Gamba converted a penalty to get Cosmos back into it. In the second half Cailungo burst into life: first Lorenzo Pelliccioni made it 2-2, then Alexandro Burgagni scored a decisive brace to send the Rossoverdi in front. Late on, Righi again found the net for Cosmos to give Bollini and his men a scare, but Cailungo held on for a hugely valuable win. The Rossoverdi are now just four points off 12th place (although they will have to observe their bye on matchday 27). There were three draws in the three 21:45 kick‑offs. A spectacular 5-5 between Murata and Tre Penne, another key game in the playoff picture. The scoring was opened by a penalty from Alessandro Casadei, putting Murata in front. The Bianconeri soon doubled their lead through Achille Della Valle who, however, became the protagonist of an own goal on 25 minutes (set up by Contato), which reopened the contest. Shortly afterwards Andrea Contato began his outstanding evening, first finding the equaliser and then, in stoppage time, the goal to put the Biancazzurri ahead. Early in the second half there was another quick exchange: Contato again on target for 4-2, but Camilloni pulled one back for the Bianconeri. Murata’s equaliser came from Andrea Capicchioni, but once more it was Contato – who would finish with four goals – that put Gianni Galli’s team in front again. The final word, though, belonged again to Capicchioni, who made it 5-5. In the closing stages Contato missed a 10‑metre free‑kick and Nicola Albani was shown a second yellow card in the space of a few minutes. The draw feels harsher on Tre Penne, with the Biancazzurri now down in 13th place and therefore out of the playoff positions (three points behind San Giovanni). Murata remain steady in 11th, four points clear of Tre Penne themselves. The draw does little for either San Giovanni or Faetano. Alberto Volpinari opened the scoring early on from the penalty spot, then in the second half Massimiliano La Monaca equalised for the Gialloblu. Gualtieri’s team went ahead again through Volpinari but, late in the game, Andrea Bartolini made it 2-2. The point does not help Faetano, who are desperate for precious points and now find themselves bottom, overtaken by Cailungo. San Giovanni stay 12th, the last position that grants access to the playoffs. No damage done, instead, between Juvenes‑Dogana and Pennarossa. Both virtually assured of a playoff berth – in seventh and eighth place respectively – they closed out the contest in Fiorentino at 1-1: everything happened in the first half, with Federico Rosa cancelling out the early lead for Zonzini’s side, scored by Jacopo Giardi. Matchday 25 will conclude this evening at the Multieventi with the clash between Tre Fiori and Libertas (kick‑off at 21:30). Here is the full picture from matchday 25 of the Campionato Sammarinese di futsal:

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