Futsal: Virtus are first side eliminated, Fiorita go through again on penalties

The second day of the play-offs brings with it the first elimination. Virtus, beaten on their debut by Fiorentino, also lose against Domagnano and bid farewell to the 2021-22 season, which will nonetheless go down in the history of the Acquaviva club, who had never before reached the league post-season. Domagnano, themselves coming off a penalty shoot-out defeat to La Fiorita, took the lead midway through the first half through Alessio Faetanini. The Wolves failed to kill the game off and so the verdict remained wide open right into added time, when Alberto Menghi put the final stamp on a result that condemns the Neroverdi to elimination and propels the Giallorossi to the next step of the tournament, which in their case means facing Fiorentino next Monday. That is because the reigning champions, in the first match of the evening, were beaten by La Fiorita, once again triumphant after the penalty shoot-out. The match remained goalless right to the end of extra time. From the spot, Stolfi scored on his debut in the shoot-out whereas Maiani did not. Then Bernardi missed; Pasqualini instead found the net and brought the contest back level. Zanfino put La Fiorita ahead again, who then held on after Moretti’s penalty. Another draw after the fourth round of kicks, with Giuccioli off target while former Fiorentino man Toccaceli converted. Another ex, Mattioli, missed the chance to restore La Fiorita’s lead, and was immediately followed in error by Gabrieli. So it went to sudden death. Bollini made no mistake with his opportunity, while Righi hit the post. More celebrations for La Fiorita, then, after a very long match and a sequence of penalties in which Marchetti once again proved to be the extra weapon, exactly as he had against Domagnano: Palermino’s men remain unbeaten and now set up a date with Folgore, their opponents in next Monday’s semi-final. Spada’s side, fresh from winning the Titano Futsal Cup, were meeting the very same opponents as in that final, just six days later. This time, however, Tre Fiori were far less able to withstand the Giallorossoneri’s intensity: Bugli’s men fell behind after 12 minutes to a goal from Massimiliano Bernardi, then sank to 4-0 down after strikes from Thomas Felici, Matteo Chezzi and Danilo Busignani. At that point there was a fightback attempt which, as it turned out, remained only an attempt: goals from Luca Zafferani and Lorenzo Boschi served to soften the defeat but not to avoid losing the first and only bonus available in the play-offs. Now Tre Fiori, like Fiorentino and Domagnano, can no longer afford another defeat. The Group B leaders will not be in action on Monday but on the following Friday, when they will face the winners of the tie between Domagnano and Fiorentino. Here is the current play-off picture in the San Marino Futsal Championship:

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LA FIORITA Zanotti, Paoletti, Zanfino, Gennari, Stolfi, Bernardi, Bollini, Gualandi, Beinat, Giuccioli, Pellegrini, Fabbri, Marchetti, Mattioli Coach: Leonardo Palermino   FIORENTINO Geri, Gasperoni, Gabrieli, Maiani, Righi, Moretti, Pasqualini, Ceccoli, Bollini, Carlini, Giacobbi, Contato, Toccaceli Coach: Matteo Michelotti   Referee 1: Andrea Piccoli Referee 2: Giovanni Notarpietro Referee 3: Laura Cordani Booked: Bollini Note: La Fiorita win 3-2 on penalties; penalty sequence: Stolfi GOAL – Maiani MISS; Bernardi MISS – Pasqualini GOAL; Zanfino GOAL – Moretti MISS; Giuccioli MISS – Toccaceli GOAL; Mattioli MISS – Gabrieli MISS; Bollini GOAL – Righi MISS

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DOMAGNANO Serafini, Muraccini, Santarini, Franciosi, Baldelli, Menghi, Faetanini, Piscaglia, Dolcini, Bollini, A. Zanotti, Cecchini Coach: Manuel Mussoni   VIRTUS Amati, Pazzaglia, Battafarano, Francioni, Toccaceli, Morganti, Casadei, Bizzocchi, Pascucci, M. Zanotti, Tamagnini, Selva   Referee 1: Daniele D'Adamo Referee 2: Laura Cordani Referee 3: Giovanni Notarpietro Booked: Dolcini, Tamagnini Sent off: Andrea Selva (straight red) Scorers: 16' Faetanini, 60+1' Menghi  

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FOLGORE Protti, Guerra, A. Stefanelli, Mainardi, A. Pelliccioni, D. Zafferani, Busignani, Bernardi, Felici, Chezzi, Menghini, Al. Casadei, Rossi, S. Stefanelli Coach: Massimiliano Spada   TRE FIORI Lonfernini, Sabatino, Boschi, Gasperoni, Verri, Cappelli, Rossini, Simoncini, L. Zafferani, D. Casadei, Cevoli, L. Pelliccioni, Morini, An. Casadei Coach: Alex Bugli   Referee 1: Nicolò Lerza Referee 2: Raffaele Delvecchio Referee 3: Cristian Tonelli Booked: Gasperoni, Busignani, Boschi Scorers: 12' Bernardi, 28' Felici, 37' Chezzi, 43' Busignani, 49' Zafferani, 60' Boschi

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