Futsal: priceless win for Faetano, Tre Fiori and Fiorentino in danger

The big match of Matchday 25 in the San Marino Futsal Championship clarifies the hierarchy at the top, with Murata claiming a 3-0 win over Virtus on the Multieventi court. The scoreline doesn’t tell the whole story: after chances for Aruci and Busignani, the Neroverdi reply with a chaotic moment that ends with Morini hitting the post. Protti loses the ball in a clash with his own team-mate Moretti, gifting the opposition the opportunity. Three minutes later it is Busignani who denies Morini from two metres out: that proves the turning point, because a dozen seconds later Murata even take the lead: Busignani sets up the shot for former Virtus man Aruci, and then also provides the assist for the second goal scored by Moretti just three minutes later. Virtus react through Belloni, blocked by the goalkeeper just as Zafferani is in the open court. In between, Geri prevents a 3-0 scoreline on De Angelis and then repeats the feat late on against Mattioli and Moretti. Protti is equally sharp in keeping out efforts from Dolcini and Cevoli. In the second half, Virtus cannot find the deserved goal that would have reopened the contest: credit also to Protti, immediately decisive on two occasions. The Murata keeper is in inspired form, to the point of getting on the scoresheet himself at the death, scoring from his own area into an empty net as Virtus had gone with a flying goalkeeper to create numerical superiority. A night to forget for Virtus, who at 0-2 hit the post again – this time with Zafferani, just a few minutes before conceding Protti’s goal which definitively ended the game.

The race for top spot in the regular season can now be considered all but over, while from here to the end the fight for positions with a view to the postseason will take centre stage. It was a key matchday in the battle for play-off access via the Preliminary Round, which can still deliver some drama, although defeats for Tre Fiori and Fiorentino have left Bugli’s and Screti’s teams with their backs against the wall. The Gialloblù went down in the direct clash with Faetano (2-3), who are now seven points clear of the drop zone. Being ahead twice was not enough for Casadei and his team-mates: goals from Severi and the captain himself were cancelled out by Simone Fortunati and Guidi, with Luca Fortunati providing – right at the end – the decisive touch that brings Faetano significantly closer to their play-off target. An outcome that also benefits Libertas, despite their rest day: the Granata maintain their five-point cushion over the first team outside the play-off places. The postseason objective can also be considered achieved by Cailungo, who yesterday overcame last season’s runners-up Pennarossa (3-2). It was an excellent performance from the Rossoverdi, who reacted to Angelini’s early strike by hitting back through Meloni, Simone Toccaceli and Sarti in the closing stages of the first half. Midway through the second half Verri pulled Pennarossa back into contention, but they were unable to close the gap.

The Cosmos victory had been widely expected, and it allows them to move ahead of Domagnano and draw level with Juvenes-Dogana: the two sides will meet on Thursday in the late fixture. After San Giovanni’s early lead through Magalotti, the Gialloverdi immediately hit back with Bacciocchi before turning the game around thanks to Francioni. In the second half Bacciocchi strikes twice more, completing a hat-trick that seals Cosmos’ ninth league win (4-1). Their cousins at Folgore have two more wins to their name and sit firmly in sixth after a 3-1 success over Fiorentino. The Falciano club strike first through Ercolani, only to concede the temporary 1-1 equaliser to Moroni on 20 minutes. Zonzini’s side regain the lead with Muccioli before the break and then move to a safe distance thanks to Ambrosini in the second half. Folgore can now even dream of catching fifth-placed Pennarossa, currently four points ahead. The outlook is very different for Fiorentino, who have slipped seven points adrift of the play-off spots, with only five games left to play.

Comprehensive win for La Fiorita over Tre Penne on a day that featured direct clashes among the top four in the table. With both second-placed sides losing, La Fiorita close in from behind – now three points off both of them. The Gialloblù do, however, have one game in hand on the Neroverdi and even two on the club from Città – who were swept aside last night. The win was virtually wrapped up by half-time for Pietrangeli’s men, who were already 5-1 up at the interval. They flew out of the traps with goals from Bernardi and Giuccioli, then a back-and-forth between Matteo Chezzi and Pari preceded further strikes from Raschi and Cecchini. In the second half the Montegiardino side again start quicker, moving out to a temporary 7-1 lead thanks to two more goals from Chezzi (a hat-trick for him). In the final quarter of an hour Tre Penne reduce the deficit through Gabrielli and, again, Pari: between those two goals came La Fiorita’s final strike, scored by Bologna – who also finds the net in the eventual 8-3 scoreline.

Here is the partial picture for Matchday 25 of the league: