Futsal, Verri brace not enough as Pennarossa bow to Murata in late kick-off

Murata claim the headline clash that closes Matchday 23 and restore their four-point lead at the top of the table over the chasing pack. The Black-and-Whites’ second win on the spin coincides with Pennarossa’s second straight defeat. The latter neither lose nor gain ground on fourth place – still firmly in the hands of La Fiorita – but now feel Folgore a little closer, with the side from Falciano moving to within seven points. It is in fact the boys from Chiesanuova who register the first clear chance: the Murata wall proves permeable to a thunderous effort from Gasperoni following a kick-in. Protti, however, gets away with it as the shot, slightly deflected, only ripples the side netting. The champions’ response comes from Aruci, who turns sharply and pulls the trigger on a left-footed effort towards the corner that Bizzocchi turns away brilliantly with a reflex save using his foot. On the next attack, Pennarossa break the deadlock, from a corner. Verri’s first attempt is blocked by Busignani but the ricochet falls kindly, giving him the chance to beat Protti with a powerful and precise toe-poke. Busignani then steps up the tempo to drive Murata towards an equaliser. First, he looks for Aruci at the far post, with Timpani making a vital interception; then he goes for goal himself with a left-footed strike from distance that fails to catch out Bizzocchi. From there the baton passes to Moretti, who shines twice as a provider, but on both occasions De Angelis cannot take advantage of his team-mate’s service. The signs of an impending equaliser are all there, and theory becomes reality on 14 minutes, when Busignani wins his duel with Verri and sparks a counter-attack that he himself finishes off: he finds the top corner and parity is restored in Acquaviva. The Black-and-Whites’ captain then, from a free-kick, lays the ball off for Moretti, whose right-foot strike flies over. Shortly after he himself tries to turn the match around with a sudden effort from out wide, but Bizzocchi is there. Busignani again lets fly while Murata push Protti into Pennarossa’s half: the ball drifts just wide. There is, however, a touch from Bizzocchi, and from the ensuing corner Mattioli does well to create space for the shot, but not so well to keep it on target. Shortly afterwards, a very similar situation unfolds. Busignani threads the ball into Mattioli, who takes Gasperoni out of the equation with his first touch but again fires wide – this time from an even better position. Murata’s long spell of pressure closes with another shot from Busignani, this too kept out by Bizzocchi. In the closing stages of the half, Pennarossa threaten again. Angelini, from a very favourable position, shoots straight at Protti, who gathers at the second attempt. Then, from a Murata counter that breaks down halfway, Verri unleashes a left-foot shot from outside the area, but it is too central. The White-and-Red pivot goes close again, once more on his left, after Timpani wins back possession. This time the shot is aimed at the corner but is just a fraction too high: Protti breathes a sigh of relief as the ball clips just over the angle of crossbar and post.

The second half starts with a magnificent reflex save by Bizzocchi to deny Busignani. The resulting corner is delivered into Moretti’s zone, and again Bizzocchi is alert. The Pennarossa goalkeeper can do nothing, though, about the counter led by Busignani and finished off by Moretti, who meets it first time and tucks the ball into the bottom corner. That moment effectively uncorks the game in terms of goals. Within moments, Murata double their lead thanks to an excellent understanding between Aruci and Mattioli: Aruci shields the ball and waits for his team-mate to arrive, and the latter rifles it into the net with a ferocious left-foot strike across goal. Pennarossa immediately pull one back. The Murata wall parts on Oddone’s free-kick, Protti spills the ball and Verri is lightning-quick to turn it into the net. The number 7 in white and red even has the chance to complete his hat-trick on a break led by Gasperoni, but his left-foot effort lacks angle and Protti saves comfortably. A De Angelis diagonal effort that drifts just wide and a toe-poke from Moretti, turned away crucially by Bizzocchi, are two quick Murata attempts to wrest back control of the contest. In this phase, though, Pennarossa also carve out a huge chance to make it 3-3. Once more, Gasperoni’s work-rate is invaluable as he pinches the ball off Busignani without fouling and then switches play to the opposite flank for Verri: the pivot stretches but cannot generate enough power in his shot. So, Gasperoni decides to go it alone. His thunderbolt from distance is beaten out by Protti, but the rebound falls into the path of Ceccoli, who adjusts quickly for the tap-in. Murata’s goalkeeper is just as quick to regain his position and block. Mattioli goes in search of his second of the night, but his effort finishes just the wrong side of the post. Moretti, on the other hand, does succeed in doubling his personal tally. The number 8 in black and white starts and then clinically finishes off a counter-attack, making the most of Aruci’s second assist in a row. Pennarossa try to get back into it with a Gasperoni free-kick, cleared off the line by Mattioli. At the other end, Bizzocchi gets both hands to a powerful long-range right-foot strike from Busignani, then Ceccoli throws himself in the way of a near-certain goal from Mattioli just as Murata are attacking with a flying goalkeeper. A save by Protti from Gasperoni and, barely ten seconds later, one from Bizzocchi to deny Aruci, are back-to-back proof of both teams’ determination to stay alive and vibrant in this late, top-of-the-bill encounter. In the closing stages, Verri hits the wall from a free-kick, before Gasperoni is again denied by Protti, this time with a powerful right-foot strike from distance. Pennarossa also play the flying goalkeeper card, but the move brings no reward. In fact, it almost backfires when Busignani sprints towards the unguarded net but takes himself too wide and misses the window for the killer blow. It is from that very situation that the refereeing team – which also includes the two Gibraltar officials seen at the Multieventi the night before – bring hostilities to an end, confirming the restored lead of the league leaders and a fresh setback for the reigning runners-up.

Here is the full rundown of Matchday 23:

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