Futsal, Preliminary Round: Folgore and Cailungo refuse to give up as Domagnano and Tre Fiori celebrate

Two wins and two draws in the first legs of the Preliminary Round. Yet only one of these victories reflects the standings of the Single Group at the end of the regular season. The side that overturns the hierarchy is Tre Fiori, who defeat Fiorentino 4-2 in one of the two derbies staged in Dogana. It’s a match full of key moments, starting with the yellow and blue opener from Tamagnini on 7 minutes, a lead they hold until deep into the second half. In the 39th minute Morri levels, only for Tre Fiori to regain the advantage immediately through Podeschi. Midway through the half, Paoloni sends a 10-metre free-kick wide, missing the chance to make it 2-2. Having dodged that bullet, Tre Fiori try to pull away thanks to a fine strike from Maiani, but soon have to concede another 10-metre free-kick: this time Bernardi steps up, but the outcome is the same. Fiorentino are immediately awarded yet another spot kick and on this occasion Morri is decidedly more clinical than his two predecessors: 3-2. The scoreline is adjusted right on the buzzer: it is Michelotti who gifts Tre Fiori a hugely valuable cushion of two goals to protect (or add to) in Monday’s second leg, with Fiorentino – for their part – needing to win by at least two goals to overturn the first-leg result, taking into account the advantage given by the higher league position.

The evening’s other win goes to Domagnano, who strike immediately against Juvenes-Dogana through Davide Dolcini, only to be pegged back shortly after the midway point of the first half by a goal from former player Cavalli. Before the interval, Chiaruzzi denies Faetanini from the 10-metre mark. In any case, Domagnano manage to snatch victory in the closing stages once again through Davide Dolcini, thereby forcing Juvenes-Dogana to chase a win by at least two goals in the return leg. The other two matches of the night end all square. On paper, given the league positions, the tie with the widest virtual margin was the clash between Tre Penne and Cailungo, which finishes 1-1, the result of a rapid exchange of blows between Cola and Flammini between the 56th and 58th minutes. The other draw comes in the derby between Cosmos and Folgore. The Gialloverdi go into half-time 2-0 up thanks to goals from Zafferani on 15 minutes and Molinas in the 2nd minute of stoppage time. The Gialloverdi also survive a 10-metre free-kick (Ercolani hits the post on 25 minutes) but in the second half they concede a comeback from Zonzini’s men: Taddei makes it 2-1 on 41 minutes, and Alan Bacciocchi levels in the 2nd minute of added time for a 2-2 draw which, for now, keeps Cosmos in front over the two legs (by virtue of their league position, and the same applies to Tre Penne) but suggests a final verdict that is wide open. A negative note for Folgore: the sending-off late on of goalkeeper Stefanelli, who will certainly miss the return leg.

Here is the full schedule for the Preliminary Round: