Futsal: Murata and Tre Penne take off, Virtus stun Domagnano in added time

Murata all but books their place in the league semi-finals by cruising to a comprehensive 6-0 win over Libertas in the first leg of the quarter-finals. The scoresheet is opened, no less, by the Bianconeri goalkeeper Protti, who is joined on the list by Aruci after Busignani’s brace, the second of which comes from the spot. After the restart Mattioli makes it 5-0 to Murata, while Moretti applies the final seal right at the death. If it’s not quite an Everest that Libertas are being asked to scale, it is at least a Kilimanjaro: Levani’s Granata need to win by at least seven goals to overturn the first of the two verdicts. It will not be an easy task for Folgore either, beaten 3-0 by Tre Penne. True, Zonzini’s side can take heart from the most recent of their previous meetings, in the Preliminary Round, when they lost 3-0 in the first leg but then managed to overturn Faetano in the return. However, the bar here is set significantly higher: not only because of the calibre of the opposition, but also because this time, unlike then, it is not Folgore who hold the ranking bonus, but Penserini’s Biancoazzurri. The latter break the deadlock just before the quarter-hour mark through Beinat. Cola then completes the 3-0 scoreline with a double at either end of the second half. The downside for Tre Penne is Rossi’s sending-off on 43 minutes. The evening’s other two matches both finish 3-2. At Domagnano this scoreline rewards Virtus, but only right at the end. Until then, the match between Michelotti’s Neroverdi and Domagnano had run on an even keel. Virtus take the lead on 23 minutes through a Muraccini own goal, and Domagnano draw level on 44 minutes thanks to former player Sensoli. Another ex, Belloni, restores the lead for the Acquaviva side, but once again the Wolves show their ability to respond, with Vagnini getting his name on the scoresheet. The 2-2 stands until stoppage time. In one of the very last actions, Zafferani’s left-footed strike hands Virtus a third lead and, in terms of the two-legged tie, a virtual two-goal cushion. In Fiorentino, by contrast, the win goes to the team without the ranking bonus: Pennarossa. La Fiorita fall behind on 9 minutes to a Maiani goal and, late in the first half, also concede to Verri. Pellegrini pulls one back just past the midway point of the second half, but Oddone immediately restores Pennarossa’s two-goal advantage. The final word goes to Simone Chezzi, for a 3-2 that allows La Fiorita to look favourably on a possible second-leg win by the narrowest of margins. Chiesanuova’s men, on the other hand, will have two results out of three in their favour.

Here is the partial picture of the league quarter-finals: