La Fiorita and Tre Penne reach final and Europe: title showdown on Thursday

At the end of a long and exhausting season, it will be La Fiorita and Tre Penne battling it out for the San Marino championship. The post-season has also confirmed Lasagni’s and Ceci’s sides as the best teams of the year, as underlined by their similar form over the regular season, which they finished first and second respectively after thirty matchdays. La Fiorita return to contest the title a year on from the bitter extra-time defeat to Folgore. Over the two-legged tie with Pennarossa, their regular season record proved decisive. In fact, the narrow win for the Biancorossi, earned in the 15:00 kick-off in Montecchio, is not enough for Selva’s men to reach the final. It is an extremely tactical and hard-fought match, with La Fiorita primarily focused on denying space to Pennarossa. The defences stand out in the first half, with Vivan and Semprini not called upon for anything out of the ordinary. Guidi tries with a header on 25 minutes but misses the target. On the half-hour mark Dema hits the woodwork after a mistake by Di Maio, but fails to trouble Vivan. Right at the end of the half Pennarossa protest for a push by Gasperoni on Michelotti, who is unable to turn towards goal from the heart of the area. After the break there are a few more thrills, starting with the pinball between Semprini and Guidi on a cross from Gasperoni. Fortunately for Pennarossa, the ball goes behind. Shortly afterwards, a move between Errico and Zulli ends with the latter curling a right-footed effort from the corner of the box, the ball only just clearing the bar. The runners-up have the chance to kill off the tie on 64 minutes, when Loiodice wins the ball and sends Rinaldi through on goal, but he loses the one-on-one with Semprini – monumental on the occasion. As so often in football, a missed chance is followed by a goal conceded: Rastelli produces an irresistible run, carrying the ball up to three-quarters before threading it through for Michelotti. His first touch sets him on his way and Miori comes in late, sending Tiboni to the penalty spot. The Pennarossa striker keeps his cool and beats Vivan with a Panenka, giving the Biancorossi supporters eighteen minutes plus stoppage time to dream. And everything seemed to be going Selva’s way when, on 80 minutes, Gasperoni receives a second yellow card, leaving La Fiorita down to ten men. However, Pennarossa can only muster a wild right-footed effort from Baldani and are unable to breach Vivan’s goal, not even during seven minutes of added time. The second semi-final, played at 18:30 again in Montecchio, is far richer in incidents and technical content. Tre Fiori need to win by two clear goals and their start is promising: after some wayward efforts from Gjurchinoski and Cuzzilla, Tre Penne have a chance to strike through Badalassi. The centre-forward, all alone in the box, heads straight into Simoncini’s arms. Two minutes later Tre Fiori are far more ruthless. A cross from the left by Cuzzilla is met superbly with the outside of the right boot by De Falco, who beats Migani at his near post to give Tre Fiori the lead. Ceci’s men seek an immediate response, with Badalassi capitalising on a moment of naivety from D’Addario, who fails to spot the pressure and ends up bringing him down. Penalty awarded by Ucini and a big chance for Righini, but Aldo Simoncini guesses right and saves. Tre Penne appeal in vain for two more penalties in the following phases and threaten again with Badalassi, who fails to hit the target on the counter on 23 minutes. Four minutes on, Pracucci is completely unmarked at the far post but sends his header off target. On 33 minutes Tre Fiori come close to doubling their lead: once again through the Cuzzilla–De Falco axis, a carbon copy of the opening goal this time crashes against the post with Migani rooted to the spot. Before the interval Tre Penne hit the woodwork themselves through Ceccaroli, who powers into the area and – helped by a deflection – wrong-foots Simoncini, only for the frame of the goal to come to his rescue. Borgagni’s men threaten one last time before the break through Lentini, who finishes off a counter-attack started by D’Addario with a left-footed strike that Migani gathers at the second attempt. In the second half D’Addario tries his luck immediately: Dolcini robs Righini with a challenge that looks like a foul, but not for Ucini, who lets play continue. Space opens up for D’Addario, who drills a powerful diagonal effort which requires all of Migani’s skill to prevent the San Marino international from making it 2-0. Ceci then makes a surprise change for Tre Penne, seeking more balance by withdrawing a subdued Badalassi for Cesarini and at the same time pushing Sartori further forward. The new set-up pays off almost instantly, as Vandi drives forward and plays the ball to Ceccaroli on the edge of the box. One-two with Gai on the edge and a cut-back from the captain for Ceccaroli’s close-range right-footed finish, which beats Simoncini. Now Tre Fiori have to start all over again, and shortly afterwards they also concede the goal that seals the 2-1 scoreline. It is hard to find the words to describe the beauty of Gai’s strike, as he meets a bouncing ball first time from around 25 metres and leaves Simoncini with no chance, sending it in with a stunning trajectory. If it is not the goal of the season, it cannot be far off. It certainly is for Tre Penne, who are back in the title decider. In the closing stages Vandi produces a brilliant block on Lentini’s driven cross-shot, then Migani preserves the 2-1 by denying attempts from Tamagnini, Gjurchinoski and Adami Martins. The side from Città return to the final three years on from their last appearance. On that occasion it was also La Fiorita v Tre Penne, and the Biancazzurri clinched the title.  

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PENNAROSSA Semprini, Mantovani (from 86' Ottaviani), Martin, Michelotti, Tomassini, Cola (from 76' Baldani), Rastelli, A. Conti (from 86' Landi), Tiboni, Dema (from 56' Halilaj), Zago Substitutes: Sebastiani, De Biagi, D. Conti Coach: Andy Selva   LA FIORITA Vivan, Gasperoni, Brighi, Di Maio, Grandoni, Loiodice, Errico, Lunadei, Guidi (from 61' Miori), Zulli (from 81' Zafferani), Rinaldi (from 76' Sanchez) Substitutes: Venturini, Santi, Pancotti, Gregori Coach: Oscar Lasagni   Referee: Giacomo Cenci Assistants: Francesco Lunardon and Andrea Depaoli Fourth official: Raffaele Delvecchio Scorer: 72' pen. Tiboni Booked: Gasperoni, Zulli, Michelotti, Loiodice, Tomassini, Lunadei Sent off: Gasperoni (second yellow card)  

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TRE PENNE Migani, Sartori, Vandi (from 84' Cibelli), Battistini, Lombardi, Genestreti, Badalassi (from 52' Cesarini), Righini (from 69' M. Semprini), Chiurato (from 84' P. Semprini), Gai, Ceccaroli Substitutes: Zambetti, Cauterucci, Zonzini Coach: Stefano Ceci   TRE FIORI A. Simoncini, De Lucia, Cuzzilla, Censoni, Adami Martins, Pracucci (from 66' Corinti), Gjurchinoski, De Falco, D'Addario, Dolcini (from 79' Tamagnini), Lentini Substitutes: Castagnoli, Ciccione, Della Valle, Astolfi, Ramundo Coach: Gian Luca Borgagni   Referee: Antonio Ucini Assistants: Ernesto Cristiano and Laurentiu Ilie Fourth official: Davide Borriello Scorers: 18' De Falco, 57' Ceccaroli, 65' Gai Booked: Lentini, Lombardi, D'Addario, De Falco, Adami Martins Note: Aldo Simoncini saves a penalty from Righini on 21'

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