Futsal: Fiorentino pull away, entertaining draw between Folgore and Murata

Perfect balance reigns in one of the two ties valid for the Scudetto semi-finals. Not so in the other, where Fiorentino dominate the derby and put more than just a down payment on a place in the final. Starting from this match, which opened the evening’s first-leg semi-finals, the defending champions take an immediate lead, but Tre Fiori are just as quick to respond. In fact, after less than three minutes it is already 1-1, the effect of the quickfire exchange between Busignani and Michele Casadei. The match, very even, finds a new master on 16 minutes: here Busignani scores his second of the night, and Tre Fiori are unable to find an answer before the interval. That remains the case after the restart, which begins with Busignani’s third goal, followed by his fourth just five minutes later. Maiani’s toe-poke makes it 5-1, while Bacciocchi and Cevoli further widen the gap (both again set up by Busignani), for a 7-1 scoreline that means Tre Fiori, looking ahead to the second leg, are faced with a truly Herculean task: they must win by at least seven goals to go through. The other match instead ends in a deadlock. Folgore start very well and take the lead through Pasqualini after nine minutes of play. Ghiotti’s strike in off the underside of the bar brings Murata level late in the first half, but shortly afterwards Folgore hit back again from a set piece by Chezzi: Bizzocchi gets a touch but cannot divert it, and the first half ends 2-1 to Folgore. The second half opens with a wonder goal from Bernardi, who races away down the flank and, with a powerful and pinpoint toe-poke, plants the ball right in the far top corner. It is not, however, a moment that knocks Murata out of their stride. A handball in the area by Ercolani midway through the half results in a penalty and a red card for the young No. 15 in yellow and red. From the spot, Moretti is ruthless. Murata increase the pressure and their efforts are rewarded three minutes from the 60-minute mark, when Belloni picks out Rizzo at the far post, who only has to let the ball hit him to give his side a draw that leaves everything wide open ahead of the second 60 minutes of the tie. It must always be borne in mind, though, that Folgore hold the advantage in the league standings and could make full profit even from another draw. The second-leg semi-finals will be played on Thursday, again in Fiorentino but with kick-off times reversed compared to yesterday. Folgore will be without Ercolani, while Verri (Tre Fiori) and Rizzo (Murata) will go into the match one booking away from suspension. Here is the outlook for the league semi-finals:

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