Futsal: trio chasing Murata as table splits into three groups

On the day after the early fixtures of Matchday 14 in the Campionato Sammarinese di futsal – the round in which Murata had their bye – the table has clearly split into three sections. Four teams can be considered breaking away and favourites to claim the four spots that will grant a first-round bye in the postseason, while Domagnano and Tre Penne currently find themselves in a comfortable middle ground, adrift of the frontrunners but safely clear of the chasers. Pennarossa sweep aside Cosmos 6-0, making their intentions clear already in a first half that yields four goals for Novembrini’s side. Paolo Verri is the standout performer, opening the scoring and adding two more after the break. Maiani and Baldani are also on target, while the goal for the temporary 3-0 comes from an own goal by Molinas – the league’s top scorer, but yesterday on the wrong end of the scoresheet. While awaiting the late fixture involving La Fiorita, who face Folgore tomorrow at the Multieventi (21:45), Pennarossa move up to second place, three points behind Murata. Virtus sit fourth after convincingly overcoming Domagnano. The headline clash of the day very much goes the way of the Neroverdi, already 3-0 up by half-time. Credit to a brace from Andrea Di Maio and a strike from Biordi. After the interval there is also room for Pasqualini’s goal to seal the 4-0 final scoreline. The Tre Penne fully capitalise with a resounding 4-1 win over Tre Fiori. The Gialloblù, who will have their bye next week, close the first half of the season in eleventh place with 15 points from as many games. Yesterday in Dogana there was no shortage of bad luck for Pollini’s boys who, already 2-0 down at the break after goals from Cola and Ercolani, ended up on the wrong side of the scoresheet through Ciacci and Zanotti. Two own goals that pave the way for Tre Penne’s success; they did concede to Maiani for the temporary 3-1, but they nonetheless confirm themselves as an authoritative sixth force in the league. Fiorentino suffer a shock collapse, overwhelmed by a San Giovanni side who had yet to win this season. Franchino’s team hit the Rossoblù for six, taking their first victory of the campaign against the reigning champions. It is a night to remember for Severi and Volpinari, both of whom notch hat-tricks. Galli’s men, who fall behind early but manage to score twice in the same minute (6') through Gasperoni and Baizan, are ultimately forced to give way to the Rossoneri, who win 6-2. Rounding off the early fixtures are Cailungo-Juvenes-Dogana and Faetano-Libertas. These matches are crucial in the race to enter the Preliminary Round of the postseason, and they did not go well for the clubs from Borgo Maggiore. Juvenes-Dogana run out 3-1 winners over Cailungo, stretching their safety margin over the bottom places to seven points. Almost everything happens early on: Moroni puts Cailungo in front, but then has to watch the furious comeback from the visitors, driven by the strikes of Simone Celli and Mularoni. In stoppage time, an own goal by Moroni himself allows Levani’s side to secure their fourth win of the campaign. The same scoreline separates Faetano and Libertas, but the Gialloblù can also celebrate a clean sheet. In the 3-0 win over the Granata yesterday, there is a brace from El Attar after the only goal of the first half scored by Caruso. The sour note on a night that sees Faetano draw level with Cailungo – with Corbelli’s men likely to battle them for a postseason spot right to the wire – are the dismissals of Michele Moroni and Bacciocchi. The penultimate round of the first half of the season will be completed tomorrow, with the late kick-off between La Fiorita and Folgore – scheduled for 21:45 at the Multieventi. For the Gialloblù it is an important opportunity to close in on Murata, currently four points ahead but with a game more played; for the Giallorossoneri from Falciano, meanwhile, a win would mean pulling away from the mid-table pack and setting up a second part of the regular season spent chasing fifth place. The spots above that, in fact, seem reasonably within the reach of only six teams. Here is the full Matchday 14 schedule of the Campionato Sammarinese di futsal: Click here for the updated table

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