League: first wins for Virtus and La Fiorita

On the opening day they had cancelled each other out, sharing the spoils in the big match. This evening, however, Virtus and La Fiorita both celebrated maximum points, at the end of two games with very different storylines. La Fiorita were barely troubled at all by San Marino Academy, sweeping them aside with a resounding 5-0 scoreline. Vitaioli got the scoring underway very early at Montecchio (3’), arriving at the back post to meet Affonso’s inch-perfect cross. The latter was then denied by Borasco in a one-on-one on 10 minutes, but La Fiorita still managed to double their lead shortly afterwards: Righi got a touch on Dormi’s mishit shot, effectively setting up Zaccaria, who finished from close range. Montegiardino’s side kept up their attacking theme, going close to a third through Vitaioli (who failed to convert a tap-in from a few yards) and then with Grandoni’s fine left-footed effort across goal, which missed by not very much. San Marino Academy’s best chance came after a sliced clearance by Barretta: Marfella unleashed a powerful right-footed strike from the edge of the box, but Vitaioli was equal to it. Then it was all La Fiorita again, as they tested the waters for a third with Dormi (a low drive that shaved the post) and Affonso, thwarted once more by Borasco at close range. After the interval the two players faced off again, only this time Borasco brought him down for a penalty. From the spot Nappello was ice-cool. The game then dipped in tempo. Fresh energy came from the yellow and blue bench. Semprini, one of the substitutes, was denied by Casadei at the crucial moment, but then combined superbly with Affonso, who tucked his shot into the corner to make it four. The rout became five in the 88th minute, when Semprini met Zafferani’s cross (another substitute) and – helped by a rebound – slotted home from point-blank range.

Virtus’ win in the other early fixture, the big match in Acquaviva, was far more hard-fought. Bizzotto’s men flew out of the blocks: on 8 minutes they took the lead through Benincasa, who latched onto Sabato’s knock-down from Ciacci’s free-kick and fired the ball in close to the top corner. Then they doubled their advantage from the spot on 17 minutes after contact between Adami Martins and Benincasa: Lombardi went straight down the middle, and it proved the right choice. In the meantime, though, Folgore had hardly been passive. Immediately after going 1-0 down, Tourè had a great chance to make something of a fine cross from Ura, but he was caught on his heels when the ball arrived. Two goals behind, Lasagni’s men poured forward, although without creating anything truly clear-cut: Pancotti tried his luck with a left-footed effort from distance that was straight at the keeper, and Agusto Garcia Rufer glanced a Gaido cross just a few metres wide. Virtus reasserted themselves after the midway point of the half. Benincasa’s brilliant backheel to send Ciacci clear of De Angelis was like writing a cheque that the number 45 in green and black failed to cash. Then it was Gaido’s turn to step in for De Angelis and get a vital block on Zenoni, who was racing through towards what could have been 3-0. Folgore thus stayed in the game. Sartori, from a free-kick, sent the ball whistling just over Passaniti’s crossbar; then Fall produced a perfect flicked finish from a Pancotti delivery, nipping in ahead of both goalkeeper and defenders to halve the deficit just minutes before the break. After the restart Bizzotto played his trump card in Buonocunto, initially left on the bench. The number 10 almost found the net with a shot from the heart of the area, drawing a sharp save from his former team-mate De Angelis. A similar situation arose shortly afterwards, but this time Buonocunto’s left-footed effort, again from a good position, drifted wide and over. In the closing stages Ciacci slid a pass through for Zenoni, who took out his marker with his first touch and went through on De Angelis, outstanding with a save with his foot. Folgore’s hopes finally faded with De Nicolò’s shot that sailed high over the bar, after he had done brilliantly to find space between the lines but was less effective with the finish. It ended 2-1, a result that allows Virtus both to get off the mark and to move above the Gialloverdi in the table.

Here is the partial schedule for the second matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese: