Futsal: Murata do the double, Virtus beaten in extra time after a finely balanced contest

Murata repeat last year’s triumph and confirm themselves as the team to beat in San Marino futsal. Having lifted the Titano Futsal Cup a month ago, Spada’s Bianconeri prevailed 4-2 after extra time over Virtus in the San Marino Futsal Championship final played this evening at the Multieventi Sport Domus. The match exploded into life straight away, with Virtus taking the lead after just a few seconds. A long ball from Cevoli after not even five seconds picked out Belloni’s winning header. The goal jolted Spada’s Bianconeri, who piled forward relentlessly. On 5 minutes it was captain Busignani who led the charge with one of his trademark long-range efforts which crashed off the post. Moments later Moretti tried his luck from a similar distance and went just centimetres away from the Murata equaliser. Virtus sat back but were dangerous whenever they broke forward. First Belloni on 10 minutes, teed up by Morini, gave Protti a scare, then the Murata goalkeeper was decisive in turning away a new effort from Dolcini. After sustained pressure, however, Murata finally managed to equalise: Moretti laid the ball off to Busignani, who picked his spot from distance and found the far corner. After a breathless opening spell, the tempo dipped for a few minutes. Coming out of a time-out it was Virtus who carved out a good opportunity from a close-range free-kick, but the Neroverdi were unable to make it count. The game sprang back into life shortly afterwards when Protti pushed up into attack, leaving his goal unguarded. Belloni won the ball back and shot from his own area; the attempt looked destined for the net but at the last moment it struck the top of the crossbar. On 23 minutes Murata had another chance to go in front: Busignani did brilliantly to protect the ball before slipping it to Mattioli, who at the key moment was denied by Geri. On 26 minutes the woodwork once again came to Virtus’ rescue, as Moretti’s fine strike first hit the post, then rebounded off Geri and finally rolled along the goal line without crossing it. After two minutes of stoppage time, the sides went into the dressing rooms at 1-1, rounding off a first half full of excitement and played at a high tempo.

The second half resumed with the same intensity. If Belloni had made his mark early in the first period, this time it was Moretti who, after just over thirty seconds, cut inside from the corner and unleashed a right-footed strike as powerful as it was accurate. Comeback completed for Murata, now leading 2-1. On 35 minutes another chance came for Spada’s men: Belloni hauled down Moretti and Murata were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area, but Busignani failed to hit the target. Virtus responded on 38 minutes with a superb move: a pinpoint long ball from Geri to Cevoli, who controlled on his chest and shot first time, going agonisingly close to levelling. On 43 minutes Moretti sparked into life again with a powerful solo run that ended with a fine low shot towards the corner, where an alert Geri was on hand to save.

That took the game into the final ten minutes. On 51 minutes Zafferani did excellently in tight space but was just beaten to the ball at the last. From the resulting corner came the Neroverdi equaliser: Zafferani’s shot was parried by Protti, but the quickest to react and tap in was Cevoli, making it 2-2. Murata’s reaction was furious and they immediately struck yet another post on the night with a thunderbolt from distance by Busignani. The Murata captain tried again on 57 minutes with a free-kick, but Geri once more came to Virtus’ rescue. The regulation 60 minutes were not enough to separate the sides, so the Multieventi showdown went to extra time. Murata started on the front foot and, after Aruci hit the outside of the post, they nosed in front again: a brilliant solo move by Mattioli, bursting through the middle, ended with a left-foot rocket that flew past Geri – the fifth different scorer of the evening. It was now 3-2 to Spada’s side. Virtus threw men forward and left spaces at the back; Moretti tried to exploit the open court but the number eight in black and white was denied – once again – by the crossbar. Murata pushed to kill the game off and, at the start of the second half of extra time, Aruci tried his luck but Geri, one of the best players on the pitch, again stood firm and kept Michelotti’s team alive. Virtus poured forward, with Geri also stepping up to help in attack. That left the goal unguarded and, with one minute remaining, the Bianconeri sealed it through Busignani, who scored from distance to complete his brace and make it 4-2 once and for all. Murata retain the title (a fourth Scudetto for the Bianconeri) and book their place in the UEFA Futsal Champions League. Behind the Bianconeri and Neroverdi, Tre Penne completed the podium, winning the third-place play-off – also played at the Multieventi at 19:30 – by 5-1 against Pennarossa (goals from Beinat, Gabrielli, Sabatino and Ercolani, with Ceccoli on target for the Biancorossi).

San Marino Futsal Championship 2025-26, Final | Murata – Virtus 4-2 aet

MURATA

Protti, Mattioli, Moretti, Busignani, Aruci

Substitutes: Giusti, Zanotti, Dominella, Marzi, De Angelis, Felici, Gregnanin

Coach: Massimiliano Spada

VIRTUS

Geri, Cevoli, Pasqualini, Belloni, Zafferani

Substitutes: Lonfernini, Mularoni, Morganti, Dolcini, Stolfi, Cavalli, Stacchini, Morini

Coach: Matteo Michelotti

Referee 1: Daniele D’Adamo

Referee 2: Alessandro Vandi

Referee 3: Giovanni Notarpietro

Referee 4: Luca Zani

Scorers: 1’ Belloni, 12’ and 69’ Busignani, 31’ Moretti, 51’ Cevoli, 62’ Mattioli

Booked: Mattioli, Belloni, Busignani