Futsal: La Fiorita cruise to 9-2 win over San Giovanni

La Fiorita win the first of the two postponed fixtures of matchday thirteen in the San Marino Futsal Championship and close out the calendar year in second place, just one point behind leaders Murata. Compared to Tre Penne, who also occupy second place on 31 points, the Gialloblù and the Bianconeri have a game in hand. Virtus, currently fourth and three points off the top, are the side on a bye this round.

These are the main contenders for the top spots that guarantee direct access to the play-off quarter-finals, given that the nearest challenger sits eight points back – or seven at best, should Cosmos beat Faetano tomorrow night in the last match of 2025. Last night at the Acquaviva gym, though, it was San Giovanni who broke the deadlock in the 5th minute thanks to a deflection from Gracik. Pietrangeli’s team kept their composure and were level again just a minute later with Giuccioli, whose right-footed effort was diverted by Zafferani. The Montegiardino club kept a firm grip on proceedings, repeatedly testing Di Gilio – finally beaten in the 21st minute by a strike from Matteo Chezzi. Right on the stroke of half-time there was room for Giuccioli’s brace, finishing from close range. A fine save by Luca Rossi on a thunderous effort from Volpinari took the contest into the second half.

San Giovanni restarted brightly, carving out three chances through Donati’s initiatives. Di Gilio preserved the deficit with two excellent saves, but it was not the Rossoneri’s luckiest night: on the counter Cecchetti forced Luca Rossi into action, the ball then crashed against the junction of post and bar, taking Donati out of the move; he tried again on the rebound but found two defenders blocking his path, just as happened to Podeschi when it seemed easier to score. A similar situation unfolded six minutes later, compounded by the psychological blow of conceding on the counter: Gracik’s deflected right-footed shot hit the post and then La Fiorita struck at the other end through the Giuccioli-Pellegrini combination to make it 4-1. That moment cut San Giovanni down to size, and they were hit twice more in the space of two minutes: Simone and Matteo Chezzi effectively sealed the win, while Pellegrini also struck the woodwork from point-blank range. Luca Rossi then proved decisive against his namesake Simone, and again on Volpinari’s long-range effort. In the final stages Pellegrini caught fire, adding three more goals in six minutes: the first a left-footed finish from close range, then an 8-1 strike on the counter. Cecchetti reduced the deficit for San Giovanni with a shot that gave the goalkeeper no chance, but the last word again belonged to Pellegrini – who in the meantime had once more been denied by Antonio Di Gilio’s woodwork. In Acquaviva it finished 9-2 in favour of La Fiorita.

Below is the partial schedule for the 13th matchday of the league: