Futsal: Virtus reach the league play-offs for the first time

Overtaking on the home straight and play-off place sealed for Virtus who, thanks to their comprehensive win over Faetano and Pennarossa’s simultaneous defeat, climb to third place and earn themselves a league post-season they had never reached before. Admittedly, the fixture list was kinder to Acquaviva than to the other contenders for the final podium spot, Cosmos included. Both Cosmos and Pennarossa go down 5-1 to La Fiorita and Tre Fiori respectively, with the latter sides on the pitch not just to fulfil the fixture but to battle it out from distance for top spot. In the end it is Tre Fiori who finish ahead of everyone and secure the related advantages in view of the play-offs. Bugli’s side, coming off the defeat to Virtus, open the floodgates after 5 minutes and then add three more before the interval. After goals from Verri, Gasperoni (brace) and Rossini, Pennarossa finally respond through Podeschi: a reaction not enough to realistically think about protecting third place in the group. In the end Tre Fiori also find a fifth goal through Boschi, while Pennarossa have to resign themselves to finishing behind Virtus. As mentioned above, it’s the same scoreline for the other contender for top spot. La Fiorita see off Cosmos but are unable to climb to the summit of Group B, while for the yellow-greens the defeat ultimately proves not decisive in the race for third place, given that Virtus’ simultaneous victory would in any case have rendered futile any potential feat by Gasperoni and his team-mates. The first half ends level, with Bernardi opening the scoring for La Fiorita on 25 minutes and Cervellini restoring parity in stoppage time. Then the Montegiardino side go back in front at the start of the second half with Mattioli, before pulling away thanks to strikes from Giuccioli, Gennari and Bollini. For Cosmos, Nicola Giorgini’s match ends early with a straight red. In any case, the most important result of the day comes from Dogana, where Virtus claim a win that sees them emerge victorious from the scrap for the third and final place in the sun. There is no contest between the neroverdi and bottom side Faetano: the latter trail by a goal at the break before being overwhelmed by the opposition tide in the second half. The star performer for Pollini’s side is Casadei, who ends his night with four goals, half of Virtus’ total. The other scorers are Pascucci (brace), Morganti and Zamboni, while Faetano’s temporary 2-1 goal comes right at the end of the first half from Massimo Moroni. Among the yellow and blues there is also a sending-off for a second yellow shown to El Elattar. In Group B only the purely symbolic satisfaction of finishing fourth was still at stake. With that in mind, the schedule featured a direct “play-off” between Libertas and Juvenes-Dogana, won 3-0 by the latter. The opener from Jacopo Giardi and a brace from former Libertas player Lorenzo Bacciocchi serve more for morale than for the standings for Zonzini’s Biancorossoazzurri, who can nevertheless ride this emotional wave to approach the Titano Futsal Cup play-offs in the best possible way – a campaign they will start from the semi-finals thanks to their excellent performances in the first half of the group phase, the part of the competition that survived. A boost ahead of the upcoming play-offs was also among the evening’s goals for Folgore and Domagnano, both of whom recorded commanding wins over their respective opponents. In particular, the league leaders – whose position was in no way under threat – needed to shake off the lingering effects of their first defeat of the season. Mission emphatically accomplished by Spada’s men, who despite numerous absences sweep aside San Giovanni 6-1, a scoreline built largely in the first half when Bernardi and Chezzi both find the net twice. In between comes Volpinari’s goal for a temporary 2-1. There is to be no rossonero comeback after the break: on the contrary, Folgore run riot to a tennis-style scoreline thanks to further goals from Menghini and Pelliccioni. The gap is even wider between Domagnano and Cailungo: the Wolves, themselves coming off a defeat, close the first half 4-0 up courtesy of goals from Dolcini (who puts them ahead inside the opening minute), Faetanini and Franciosi, plus an own goal from Marchetti. Cecchini opens the second-half scoring, which – from a Domagnano perspective – is then padded out by braces from Faetanini and Piscaglia, before Sammaritani musters a hint of a reply that Zanotti promptly snuffs out. It ends 9-1. Here is the full set of results from Matchday 21 of the 2021-22 Campionato Sammarinese di futsal:

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TRE FIORI Lonfernini, Sabatino, Boschi, Gasperoni, Verri, Rossini, Simoncini, Zafferani, Cevoli, Morini, A. Casadei Coach: Alex Bugli   PENNAROSSA Rinaldi, Brighi, Naouar, Giovanardi, Giacobbi, Zavoli, Ciarmatori, Podeschi, Zafferani, Ciacci, A. Guidi Coach: Mattia Casadei   Referee 1: Luca Tura Referee 2: Laura Cordani Scorers: 5' Verri, 17' and 18' Gasperoni, 29' Rossini, 36' Podeschi, 47' Boschi

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FOLGORE Guerra, Mainardi, Pelliccioni, Bernardi, Chezzi, Menghini, Casadei, Rossi, S. Stefanelli Coach: Massimiliano Spada SAN GIOVANNI D. Agostini, L. Agostini, Volpinari, Schiano, Macina, Camilloni Coach: Davide Gualtieri   Referee 1: Laura Cordani Referee 2: Luca Tura Scorers: 4' and 10' Bernardi, 19' Volpinari, 24' and 26' Chezzi, 52' Menghini, 56' Pelliccioni

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FAETANO Serra, Bacciocchi, Mi. Moroni, Mas. Moroni, Mar. Moroni, Albani, El Attar, Giovagnoli, Raschi, Guerra, Macchia Coach: Elmiro Corbelli   VIRTUS Bizzocchi, Pazzaglia, Francioni, Toccaceli, Morganti, Casadei, Pascucci, Zanotti, Tamagnini, Selva, Amati, Zamboni Coach: Luca Pollini   Referee 1: Giovanni Notarpietro Referee 2: Nicolò Lerza Booked: Casadei, El Attar, Bacciocchi Sent off: El Attar (second yellow) Scorers: 7', 31', 52' and 55' Casadei, 27' Zamboni, 29' Mas. Moroni, 34' and 51' Pascucci, 54' Morganti

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CAILUNGO Alvarez, Manzaroli, Marchetti, Sammaritani, Tura, Venerucci, Moroni Coach: Matteo Venerucci   DOMAGNANO Serafini, Muraccini, Santarini, Franciosi, Baldelli, Menghi, Faetanini, Belloni, Piscaglia, Dolcini, Bollini, Zanotti, Cecchini Coach: Manuel Mussoni   Referee 1: Nicolò Lerza Referee 2: Giovanni Notarpietro Scorers: 1' Dolcini, 11' og. Marchetti, 18' and 37' Faetanini, 30' Franciosi, 35' Cecchini, 38' and 40' Piscaglia, 43' Sammaritani, 57' Zanotti

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LA FIORITA Paoletti, Zanfino, Gennari, Stolfi, Chezzi, Bernardi, Bollini, Gualandi, Giuccioli, Pellegrini, Fabbri, Marchetti, Mattioli Coach: Leonardo Palermino   COSMOS Muccioli, Burgagni, Reggini, Gasperoni, Mazza, N. Giorgini, Mauri, Vicini, Cervellini, Zafferani, Bologna Coach: Dante Canducci   Referee 1: Gianmarco Ercolani Referee 2: Laurentiu Ilie Booked: Cervellini, Gasperoni, Zanfino Sent off: N. Giorgini Scorers: 25' Bernardi, 30+1' Cervellini, 32' Mattioli, 35' Giuccioli, 53' Gennari, 60' Bollini

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LIBERTAS Covi, F. Rossi, Gabrielli, M. Giardi, A. Bacciocchi, Ercolani, James, D. Rossi, Tamagnini, Magnanelli   JUVENES-DOGANA Cecchetti, Mazza, Santi Ugolini, Borasco, Gatti, J. Giardi, Zonzini, Bagnasco, Muccioli, L. Bacciocchi, Costantini, Ferrenti, Frisoni Coach: Claudio Zonzini   Referee 1: Laurentiu Ilie Referee 2: Gianmarco Ercolani Booked: L. Bacciocchi, Frisoni, James, Cecchetti, M. Giardi, Borasco Scorers: 19' J. Giardi, 21' and 26' Bacciocchi

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