League: first win for Pennarossa, heartbreak for Faetano

It arrives on Matchday 27 of the BKN301 Campionato Sammarinese, the first win of the season for Pennarossa. The Chiesanuova side, which underwent a technical and corporate overhaul last summer and was completely reshaped again in January, finally reaped the rewards of its efforts in what was the most important match of the season for Faetano. The Gialloblù fail to take the victory that would have moved them within five points of the play-offs and now find themselves practically out of the running for the post-season. There are no fewer than seven goals in Domagnano: the first arrives on the quarter-hour and puts Faetano in front, after they had already gone close to breaking the deadlock on a couple of occasions, thanks to Capriotti, set up by Brisigotti. The latter makes it 2-0 five minutes later, suggesting a straightforward afternoon for the Gialloblù. Nothing could be further from the truth. Pennarossa get back into it with a fine piece of play by Pintore in the penalty area, halving the deficit. Earlier, Acquarelli’s potential 3-0 had been ruled out – and he was unlucky again when he sent Manzaroli the wrong way in the action that led to Michelotti’s strike, which made it 2-2 on 67 minutes. In the closing stages all the pressure is on Faetano, who lose a bad ball while trying to build from the back and end up conceding a penalty on Pintore. The same forward converts from the spot, completing the turnaround in favour of Pennarossa. The contest, however, is far from over: in the 78th minute Terenzi earns a penalty for the new equaliser, coolly dispatched by Brisigotti with his left foot. Shortly afterwards Barbieri produces a miraculous save to deny the ever-dangerous Terenzi what looked like the winner. For Girolomoni’s men there is further heartbreak at the death, as in the 90th+2 minute the Pintore–Fadel combination delivers Pennarossa’s first league victory of the season. Domagnano can breathe a sigh of relief because, despite today’s defeat, they still hold an eight-point lead over Faetano with only three games remaining in the regular season. Everything happens before the break at the "Federico Crescentini", where the star of Abouzziane shines brightly. The Moroccan opens the scoring with a solo effort, escaping a double-team out wide before cutting inside onto his right foot and curling the ball into the far top corner. The next chance brings the second goal: Salemme drills in a low cross for the run of Hirsch, who cleverly shakes off Baffoni’s marking and finishes unchallenged from the edge of the six-yard box. Domagnano fail to take two chances to reduce the deficit before half-time, denied in particular by a superb Berardi reflex stop on 37 minutes. After the restart, Camillini’s side manage their 2-0 lead, scarcely giving anything away. In fact, it is Colonna who has to intervene on a couple of occasions to prevent a third goal for the opposition. Fiorentino remain fully in the chase for seventh place, sitting two points behind the duo of Juvenes-Dogana and San Giovanni. Tognacci’s team ran out 4-0 winners against Cailungo, a scoreline that does not reflect an hour of substantial balance, during which it was Sarti’s youngsters who carved out the best chance of the first half. Unfortunately for the Rossoverdi, playing today in an all-purple kit, Mastria dragged wide with the goal at his mercy in what was effectively a moving penalty. The breakthrough moment comes in the 42nd minute, when Iuzzolino handles Corinti’s corner, prompting Xhafa to award a penalty to San Giovanni. Augusto Garcia Rufer makes no mistake from the spot, sending the Rossoneri into the break 1-0 up. The Rossoneri start the second half better, albeit without being clinical in front of goal, while Cailungo gradually throw men forward in search of a way back into the game. They protest vehemently on 64 minutes over a possible foul by Stefano Sartini on Basile in the box, with the forward about to shoot in front of Magnani. Four minutes later, San Giovanni double their lead as Cocco provides the assist for Augusto Garcia Rufer’s brace. In the closing stages Cailungo lose their composure and go down to ten men following the sending-off of Vittori on 76 minutes. San Giovanni then run riot through Robba – scoring from a corner situation – and Aprea, who had only been on the pitch a few seconds before making it 4-0 with a simple tap-in after Contadini’s right-footed effort. The three points allow San Giovanni to keep pace with Juvenes-Dogana and preserve their two-point cushion over Fiorentino ahead of a season finale in which the hunt for seventh place in the table will be on. Here is the full programme for Matchday 27 of the BKN301 Campionato Sammarinese, which will be broadcast live in full with Italian commentary on TITANI.TV:

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