League: big win for San Giovanni, Folgore knocked down

San Giovanni are back on track and, after coming through the cauldron of Virtus and Tre Fiori – faced either side of the halfway point of the regular season – have now strung together two wins. The victory over Fiorentino has been followed by another success, this time at the expense of fifth-placed Folgore. Tognacci’s men find the net early, but according to Marco Savorani the goal is tainted by an offside position and is ruled out. In the opposite box Folgore appeal for a foul after contact between Senja and Pancotti, which Ucini judges to be regular. San Giovanni up the tempo and free up shooting chances for Nicola Sartini and Aprea that do not trouble Guddo, who is forced to yield in the 21st minute, though. From a throw-in situation, Folgore lose track of Aprea’s run through the middle, and he makes the most of Montebelli’s work as a pivot to break the deadlock. Fabbri goes close to doubling the lead with a powerful long-range effort, while Bernardi finds space in the area only to blaze over the chance to make it 1-1. After the half-hour mark, Guddo is immense in denying Aprea twice, and the forward again goes one-on-one with the goalkeeper on 45 minutes but opts to square for Nicola Sartini instead of pulling the trigger with his left. That excess of altruism almost costs San Giovanni on Ura’s solo run: he is uncatchable in the area and misses by a whisker with a curling left-footed effort. The second half bursts into life immediately, and the momentum favours Tognacci’s side: Pancotti sends Ura’s cross over the bar, while on 47 minutes Aprea shows no mercy, finishing off perfectly a counter-attack launched by Celli and refined by Nicola Sartini. Folgore refuse to throw in the towel and, after a fine left-footed volley by Cateni is kept out by Starna and a scruffy effort from Ura in the heart of the box, Miori gets them back into it. The goalscoring defender strikes in the 65th minute with a shot from the edge of the area set up, as so often, by Ura. Their joy is extremely short-lived, though, because San Giovanni score again just 50 seconds later. This time it is Nicola Sartini who beats Guddo, making it 3-1 – a scoreline that stands until the final whistle. La Fiorita keep pace with leaders Virtus. The Montegiardino club swiftly deal with the Faetano assignment, despite being denied by the crossbar on 10 minutes through Cicarelli. Ceci’s men have to wait another quarter of an hour to celebrate the opener. Cicarelli swings in a wide free-kick towards the far post, rewarding the perfectly timed, winning header by Zazas Sanchez. Montegiardino’s side appeal in vain for a penalty on 31 minutes, while Faetano’s attacking threat amounts to a right-footed effort from Festa Gallo that sails over. Down the other end, instead, the second goal arrives: following a poor first touch by Bertuccini, Ambrosini only has to tap in from close range. Ricchiuti’s men show a burst of pride around the interval with new signings Famiglietti and Tolomeo, but Zavoli’s goal remains intact. Forconesi’s, by contrast, is breached for a third time on 58 minutes courtesy of an own goal by Parisi. With the result virtually secured the tempo drops sharply, but that does not prevent La Fiorita from adding a fourth, as Toccaceli finds the net after yet another driving run from Riccardi. Zavoli is called into action in the 74th minute, dealing with a set-piece from Brisigotti in what is the last notable moment of a one-sided contest. Goalless between Domagnano and Murata. The first to try his luck is Gregori, who forces Martinez into a save from medium range. At the other end Socciarelli imitates him, though without real conviction. Piscopo and Ricci fare no better, while a Gregori free-kick requires the Murata goalkeeper to fling himself to his left. The game is played at a low tempo with few real chances, and that pattern is confirmed after the break, when the goalkeepers are little more than spectators. Colonna comes up with a save on Castorina’s close-range shot in the 90th minute, quickly getting down at his near post. In the closing stages Murata apply more sustained pressure, but the decisive touch for all three points does not arrive. Instead, the match ends in a goalless draw that perfectly reflects how the game unfolded. Rounding off the programme is the late fixture Pennarossa-Tre Penne, a far more hard-fought affair than the league table might have suggested. As expected, the Biancazzurri take control of possession, but the chances created from two quick corners do not trouble Del Prete. Zahir’s reply – having replaced Isaraj at the last minute after the latter picked up an injury in the warm-up – lacks venom. The best opportunity falls to Dormi, who curls a left-footed effort from inside the box on 22 minutes and hits the base of the post. The sides change ends with the deadlock still intact. After the restart it is Pennarossa who come closest to breaking it: Zenoni’s 54th-minute free-kick is almost perfect, crashing against the crossbar and then against Migani, who somehow manages to clear the danger. At the other end Ceccaroli shoots over from a great position, and shortly afterwards repeats the feat on a cross from Nigretti. The incident that looks set to tilt the three points Tre Penne’s way seems to materialise on 77 minutes, when Amati swings a free-kick into the area from just inside the opposition half. De Queiroz gets there first and beats Del Prete, but Sgrignani’s raised flag comes to Pennarossa’s rescue. On the ensuing counter Fabbri tries his luck from 20 metres without causing Migani any real concern. In the closing minutes there is hardly any football played, but the tension is sky-high. The one to pay the price is Ricci, sent off in the 95th minute. Pennarossa nonetheless see out a fourth draw of the campaign, surviving a scare when Barretta cuts in on his left after the allotted time, but they still find themselves bottom of the table, eight points adrift of the last spot that would grant access to the postseason. Here is the full rundown of Matchday 18 in the Campionato Sammarinese: Click here for the updated standings.

---