League: Folgore-Tre Penne, goals 78 seconds apart – San Giovanni and Cosmos take all three points

A brief hailstorm hits just minutes before kick-off in the day’s big match at Montecchio. Folgore and Tre Penne, second and third in the table after Virtus’ win in the early fixture, are both chasing top spot. Kicking off at the same time are Cosmos-Fiorentino and San Giovanni-Faetano, clashes that matter at very different levels of the standings.

Folgore are quickest out of the blocks, driven on by De Nicolò: the midfielder robs Ruiz of the ball and shoots wide from the edge of the box, before embarking on a slalom in the area that comes to nothing after a one-two with Fabbri. Ricci’s men continue to look the sharper side, threatening through Pancotti and Augusto Garcia Rufer after a cross-shot from Ruiz – off target from a set piece in Tre Penne’s only foray forward. Folgore keep trying their luck mostly from distance, without really troubling Andreani. After the restart the first big chance falls to Bonini’s side: from a set play, Ceccaroli unleashes a right-footed volley that clips the bar with De Angelis beaten. The Giallorossoneri stay calm and soon create danger of their own through Adami Martins, who fires wide from a Pierri pass at the end of an irresistible coast-to-coast. Pancotti is also just centimetres away with a free-kick, close to repeating last week’s magic: it thuds off the post, possibly after Andreani’s fingertips. The duel is renewed seconds later with the opposite outcome: De Nicolò threads a perfect assist for Pancotti, who taps in his fifth league goal from close range. The lead lasts the blink of an eye: Tre Penne are back level 78 seconds later thanks to a wonderful acrobatic twist from Islamaj, who – with his back to goal – glances in a cross from Ceccaroli’s flank. A moment of brilliance that finds the far corner, more suited to a theatre stage than a football pitch. Before the end there is one last huge chance for Pancotti: he cuts in on to his left in devastating fashion and curls a well-placed effort towards goal. Andreani flies to the top corner, preserving Tre Penne’s point and handing Folgore their first draw of the season – they remain top, but now level on points with next opponents Virtus. Tre Penne stay two points off the summit and fully in the title race.

Cold and rain also affect the other two fixtures. In Domagnano, San Giovanni threaten first through the D’angeli-Chiaruzzi combination, but the latter heads his left-footed effort down too much at the near post. D’Orsi then makes himself seen from a free-kick, diving to head wide. Once the midway point of the first half is passed, Faetano produce their first move: Elia switches play for Golinucci, who crosses to the far post where Michelucci powers a header goalwards, showcasing Casadei’s agility. The incident that unlocks a decidedly unspectacular contest comes on 56 minutes, when Caverzan’s headed lay-off allows D’angeli to burst into the box. His cut-back is perfectly weighted for D’orsi, who scores from close range for the second match running. The goal opens the game up and San Giovanni take it over with Chiaruzzi doubling the lead shortly before the hour mark: quickest to react to a loose ball, he turns smartly and rifles into the top corner. Faetano respond through Rivas, played into the area by Elia: the Colombian forward’s diagonal strike crashes against the base of the post. Faetano’s goal would not, however, be long in coming: on 77 minutes a brilliant solo run from Michelucci, who takes matters into his own hands by slaloming past a series of opponents before unleashing a right-footed shot that Giambalvo unwittingly deflects out of reach of his own keeper, allows the Gialloblù to halve the deficit. A composed finale from San Giovanni enables Antonioli’s side to pocket three precious points, ending a three-match winless streak. For Sperindio’s Faetano – the coach absent today for personal reasons – the wait for a win goes on.

At the “Federico Crescentini” the first real stir comes on 18 minutes and bears Tonini’s stamp: his right-footed effort from a Cremonini lay-off is crucially diverted over the bar by Del Frari. Cosmos do not have to wait long for the breakthrough, though: the Guidotti-Cremonini partnership proves lethal once again, with an assist from the former for the latter’s sixth goal in seven games – taking him level with his strike partner at the top of the scoring charts. The scorer of the opener also tries his luck from a free-kick, testing Benedettini’s reflexes. The half-time scoreline is justified by further attempts from Bottoni and Cremonini, with the latter denied by Benedettini from the middle of the area. The San Marino goalkeeper does even better on 34 minutes when he flies to the bottom corner to save Guidotti’s penalty, awarded for a clear handball by Costantini on a shot from Tomassini, who had replaced Grandicelli midway through the half. Cosmos are in full control and twice go close to doubling their lead before the interval, which nevertheless arrives with the score still 1-0. In the second half Cosmos continue to flirt with a second, with Cremonini again thwarted by an inspired Benedettini. The Gialloverdi forward is still involved in the move that leads to Tonini’s goal, as the latter celebrates with his team-mates after a precise right-footed strike from the edge of the box on 57 minutes. Rossi’s side are not content and almost add a third through Sartini, played clean through on Benedettini by the ever-dangerous Cremonini. At the other end, Ledesma unleashes a powerful left-footer from long range that forces Semprini into action – the keeper equal to it at full stretch. The only blot on an otherwise near-perfect afternoon for the Gialloverdi is the straight red card shown to Sartini for retaliating against Cucchi. Numbers are levelled up – though not on the pitch – when a red card is shown on 88 minutes to Del Frari, recently substituted. There are no further twists before the final whistle: Tre Fiori remain three points off the top and cut their deficit to Tre Penne to a single point.

Below is the complete schedule for Matchday 7 of the 2026-27 Campionato Sammarinese: