Futsal: the title will be decided at the Multieventi, first legs of the semi-finals tomorrow

With all fixtures on the artificial turf pitches of San Marino’s five-a-side facilities now completed, the last six matches of the season will all be played on the Multieventi court over the next few Tuesdays. In eight days’ time it will be time for the semi-finals, while on the long evening of 6 June both finals will follow in quick succession. It is still too early to say whether the San Marino futsal title will also be a matter between Folgore and Fiorentino, but Spada’s and Michelotti’s teams will certainly start as favourites in their respective two-legged ties with Tre Fiori and La Fiorita. The two yellow-and-blues were the best performers in the regular season behind the recent Titano Futsal Cup finalists, but they will need something very close to a feat to book their place in the 6 June final. On top of that, any aggregate tie at the end of the second match would see Folgore and Fiorentino go through, thanks to their better regular-season records. In the two head-to-heads with Fiorentino, La Fiorita have not fared too badly, despite suffering two defeats. The first meeting of the season dates back to early November, when Busignani and his team-mates won 2-1. The San Marino all-rounder dominated the scoresheet for better and for worse on that occasion, scoring twice and putting through his own net. In the more recent clash in mid-March, the Rossoblù claimed another narrow win – this time 4-3. Two more goals from Busignani to open and close Fiorentino’s scoring, boosted by strikes from Ercolani and Zafferani. On La Fiorita’s side, Bernardi, Belloni and Franciosi repeatedly brought the Montegiardino club back to within one, but they were unable to draw level. Taking another demanding step forward would mean – for Ghiotti’s men – seriously targeting a third consecutive league final. The only player suspended is Andrea Ceccoli: the Fiorentino captain was sent off in last Monday’s emphatic win over Libertas and will be available again for the return leg with La Fiorita, who will have no suspensions to deal with tomorrow evening (Multieventi, 20:15). The situation is completely different for Tre Fiori, who will be without an important player like Danny Gasperoni for the first leg against Folgore. Alex Bugli, meanwhile, has been handed a two-match ban and will not be back on the bench before 6 June: whether that will be for the title decider or the third-place play-off will depend on the outcome of the double-header with the reigning champions. The regular season brought one win apiece: in mid-December, braces from Bernardi and Pellegrini – both also on target in the Titano Futsal Cup final – earned Folgore three points. At the beginning of April, however, Tre Fiori inflicted one of only two league defeats on the Giallorossoneri: Cecchini and Cappelli cancelled out Michele Ercolani’s strike six minutes from time. It should be stressed, though, that Folgore, at that particular point in the season, were without key players such as Pasqualini, Chezzi and Bernardi. The third act of Folgore–Tre Fiori will get under way in tomorrow’s late slot, with kick-off at 21:45. Here is the full line-up for the 2022–23 San Marino Futsal Championship semi-finals:

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