Futsal: Virtus and Domagnano book their quarter-final places

Big wins for Virtus and Domagnano in the opening leg of the Preliminary Round of the San Marino Futsal Championship, which will determine the four teams that will join Fiorentino, Folgore, Tre Fiori and La Fiorita in the title play-offs. Manuel Mussoni’s men struck twice in each half, overwhelming a Murata side that fell behind in the fifth minute to a finish from Zanfino. Davide Dolcini doubled the lead on 15 minutes, while the other two goals arrived late on. First came Nicola Albani’s own goal on 54 minutes – the Murata player was sent off a minute later for a second yellow card – then Lorenzo Bollini converted a 10-metre free-kick to seal a 4-0 victory, putting Domagnano firmly in control of the tie and on the brink of the play-offs. Murata would now need to win by five clear goals to overturn the deficit in next Thursday’s return leg in Domagnano. A level aggregate score would in any case see the Wolves through to the quarter-finals thanks to their higher regular season placing. Virtus hit three, needing seven minutes to make their first breakthrough against Tre Penne. Paolo Casadei opened the scoring, and it was again he who gave Pollini’s Neroverdi a two-goal cushion before the interval. In the second half Righi completed the job, wrapping up a comprehensive success for Virtus, who can now glimpse the main draw. Qualification for the play-offs is less clear-cut in the other two ties, starting with the Serravalle derby settled by the only goal of the night. After a goalless first half, Simone Chezzi put Juvenes-Dogana ahead against Cosmos in the 32nd minute. The scoreline remained unchanged at the final whistle, pushing the verdict back by a week. Claudio Zonzini’s men, who finished higher in the regular season, would still qualify even in the event of a narrow defeat. The Gialloverdi have no option but to win by at least two goals if they are to reach the play-offs. The match in Domagnano was nothing short of fiery, with Pennarossa – twice in front – pegged back and then overturned by Libertas. A brace from Alessandro Ciacci allowed the Chiesanuova club to head to the dressing rooms 2-0 up, a lead cancelled early in the second half by two goals from Alan Bacciocchi for Libertas. The Granata had earlier failed to convert two 10-metre free-kicks through Burioni late in the first half. D’Alessandro restored Pennarossa’s lead, but the 3-2 advantage was short-lived: just a minute later Taddei levelled matters again. In the closing stages Penserini’s men landed the double blow that puts Libertas in the driving seat ahead of the return leg: clinical finishes from Tonini and Burioni sealed a 5-3 win, while Pennarossa lost their composure at the death. Federico Rinaldi was sent off and will definitely miss the second leg, where the Biancorossi will need a two-goal victory to make their superior regular season placing count. These are the results of the first legs of the Preliminary Round of the 2022-23 San Marino futsal Championship:

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