League: Cosmos come from behind and move above Virtus in the table

It was a match full of chances as Virtus and Cosmos went head to head in Fiorentino. The San Marino champions started better but couldn’t find the breakthrough: partly due to some poorly managed counterattacks, partly because of borderline challenges from the opposing defence – for which the Neroverdi appealed in vain for two penalties. The third incident sends Vallocchia to the spot: on 27 minutes Maggioli is struck on his outstretched arm by a loose ball, and the attacking midfielder puts Virtus ahead from eleven metres. Lepri’s men respond immediately, restoring parity three minutes later: Ben Kacem breaks down the flank and crosses into the middle, where Piscaglia is imperfect, allowing Badalassi to beat Passaniti from close range. Before the break Pecci also has a go, but is denied by the alert Celato. The Cosmos goalkeeper is decisive again barely twenty seconds into the second half, turning away a thunderbolt from Buonocunto. After the restart, however, Cosmos put on a show: in the 58th minute Serafini is brought down in the box by Piscaglia. A clear penalty that Badalassi converts flawlessly to complete the comeback. For once, Virtus also show their frailties. From the ensuing kick-off, Bizzotto’s side cheaply give away possession and are sliced open by Pierri – who may have used his hands to get past Battistini – before he recycles the ball for Serafini, whose right-footed effort nestles in off the far top corner. Lepri’s side then have to cope with half an hour a man down following the sending-off of Mularoni, but they protect a win that remains unchanged – despite Benincasa clipping the post and thanks to a series of fine saves from Celato. Everything happens in the second half between Fiorentino and Folgore, after a first 45 minutes in which neither side really hurts the other. Aside from a couple of harmless efforts by Abouzziane and Diop, the main highlight is a header from Pancotti that tests the excellent reflexes of Benedettini on 33 minutes. After the break the Rossoblù keeper is helpless against a left-foot strike from the edge of the area by the ever-dangerous Pancotti, which shaves the post. A minute later Fiorentino strike first: Abouzziane releases El Ardoudi, who does well to attack the set defence and beat Guddo with a diagonal effort from the heart of the box. Folgore’s reply comes from Ura, whose powerful drive is met by a well-positioned Benedettini. The San Marino keeper is also the unfortunate protagonist in the unfortunate incident that makes it 1-1: Pancotti drills his free-kick through the wall, and the goalkeeper is unable to claw away the left-footed effort that brings about the final equaliser. A draw – the X sign on the coupon – comes out for the fourth time in Tre Penne’s opening five league games. Berardi’s men pile on the pressure from the very first minutes but continually run into an unbeatable Gallinetta. The Cailungo keeper is among the best players on the pitch, yet even he cannot keep out Moscardi’s close-range touch on 39 minutes. Early on the forward had also seen a goal ruled out for a push as he looked to get free. Cailungo need just over 120 seconds to level thanks to a moment of magic from Conti. The midfielder latches onto Migani’s punched clearance and beats him from thirty metres with an unstoppable lob that kisses the post on its way in. Early in the second half Sarti’s side even manage to turn it around: from a set-piece situation, Ambrosetti goes to ground after a clash with Barretta. Conti steps up and side-foots low into the corner to complete his brace and put Cailungo 2-1 up on 52 minutes. What follows is forty minutes of all-out assault from Tre Penne, who finally break through on 69 minutes with Barretta’s header from a Dormi corner. Cailungo threaten on the break through Lago and Hirsch, but the best chance for 3-2 falls to Berardi’s men, who somehow squander it with Lombardi. From Righini’s free-kick on 80 minutes, Mezzadri performs heroics to block the initial header on the line; Lombardi then has a second bite of the cherry on his left foot but incredibly smacks the upright from a metre out, with the keeper on the turf and no pressure on him. It is the last act of a thrilling contest, which adds to Cailungo’s tally and leaves Tre Penne six points off the summit. A reminder that all fixtures are available live and free to stream on the Titani.TV platform, and here is the partial picture of Matchday 5:

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