Futsal: post-season kicks off, Preliminary Round first legs on Monday

With the end of the regular season, the San Marino Futsal Championship moves into the heart of the post-season. On Monday evening the action begins with the first-leg ties of the Preliminary Round, the opening chapter of the play-offs. Eight teams are involved, with four of them progressing to join the Fab Four (Fiorentino, Folgore, Murata and Tre Fiori) to complete the main bracket. First legs on Monday and second legs on Thursday 16 May: if the goal difference is the same after both matches, the team that finished higher in the regular season will qualify. Juvenes-Dogana therefore enjoy a significant advantage as they face Pennarossa in Fiorentino (kick-off at 20:15). Levani’s side finished fifth and are one of the league’s in-form teams after nine consecutive wins. It is a different story for Casadei’s Pennarossa, who come into this on the back of eight straight defeats. The two sides recently met in the league (29 April), with the Dogana club winning 4-1. The Biancorossi will need at least one win if they are to have any chance of reaching the next round, given their lower regular-season finish (twelfth place). On the same pitch, but at 21:45, La Fiorita and Cosmos will go head-to-head. The Gialloblu from Montegiardino start as favourites thanks to their higher league position (sixth) compared to the Gialloverdi from Serravalle (11th). Fiorita, however, have been somewhat inconsistent of late, picking up four points from their last four games. Cosmos, by contrast, are in good shape, with three wins from their last three: Muccioli’s side will also need to come out on top over this two-legged tie if they are to progress. The other venue involved will be Dogana. Proceedings there get under way at 20:15 with Virtus v Tre Penne: here it is the Neroverdi who are the favourites, by virtue of their higher regular-season finish (7th compared to the Biancoazzurri’s 10th). The head-to-head record this season also smiles on Luca Pollini’s team, who have won on both occasions. The side from Città, coached by Davide Elia Ghiotti, will need at least one victory if they are to target a place in the play-off quarter-finals. The 21:45 kick-off – again in Dogana – between Domagnano and Libertas promises to be closely fought. The Wolves hold the edge here thanks to their eighth-place finish, but the Giallorossi will have to be wary of the Granata. Penserini’s side are in good form and have already beaten Domagnano in the regular season (2-0 in the return fixture, while Gasperoni’s men won the reverse). A win is also required for the Granata in at least one of these two Preliminary Round encounters if they are to advance in the competition. Here is the full fixture list for the Preliminary Round of the San Marino Futsal Championship:

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