League: La Fiorita win it in stoppage time, Gashi and Bracconi halt Cosmos

A spine-tingling finale – in every sense – for La Fiorita, who thanks to a last-gasp strike from Jacopo Semprini in stoppage time beat Faetano and notch up a third consecutive victory. On Halloween night – which opened the eighth matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese – Murata play a trick on Cosmos, holding them to a 1-1 draw and bringing to an end the three-game winning run of Andy Selva’s side.

Starting with the match in Acquaviva between Faetano and La Fiorita. The first chance falls to Sperindio’s side, who seem to get off on the right foot: a right-footed effort by Morgante from the edge of the box, but Zavoli is immediately equal to it. After Vitaioli has a goal ruled out for offside on 9 minutes, La Fiorita take the lead in the 20th through a low cross from captain Gasperoni, which is turned into the net by Olcese. Four minutes later the Gialloblù sharpshooter once again eyes up goal with a precise right-footed strike from the edge of the area, but Venturini stretches well. Faetano hold firm and shortly before the break they go agonisingly close to levelling: a free-kick from substitute Mariani, curled towards the top corner, but Zavoli flies and gets just enough on it to divert it onto the crossbar. The second half is even more entertaining. It begins on 64 minutes when Mazzotti meets a corner well and goes centimetres away from doubling the lead. The same goes for a right-footed effort from the edge of the area by Marco Gasperoni a few minutes later. La Fiorita want to kill the game off, but Faetano defend superbly, thanks above all to Venturini, who first denies Gasperoni (73’) and then Zafferani (83’). The game hangs in the balance and a minute later Faetano equalise: a cross from captain Zonzini for Abbadessa, who takes advantage of an imperfect outing by Zavoli to beat him with a looping header. But it’s not over yet. In stoppage time Faetano waste a golden counter-attack and are punished from the ensuing move: in the 92nd minute Affonso powers down the right to the by-line, then pulls it back for Jacopo Semprini, who cannot miss. It’s the goal that seals a 2-1 victory for La Fiorita, their third win on the bounce.

Honours even instead between Cosmos and Murata. The first chance of the game in Dogana comes after just 8 minutes with a free-kick from Fermi – powerful and accurate – that crashes off the crossbar. Cosmos dictate play and try again to break the deadlock: Hamati drives forward with the ball at his feet and shoots across goal with his right, but Bracconi is equal to it. On the rebound Fermi also has a go, but he finds the Bianconeri defensive wall in the way. After the restart the script does not change, with Murata repeatedly taking refuge behind an excellent Bracconi. The balance between the two sides remains until the 68th minute, when Cosmos finally break through: a corner into the box finds the head of Robba, Bracconi parries but the quickest to react is Mazzoni, who turns it into the net. Conceding sparks a change in Murata’s attitude as they react and roar back: in the 82nd minute De Biagi flashes in a cross to the near post, Gashi attacks the space superbly and unleashes a fierce right-footed strike that leaves Semprini with no chance. Cosmos refuse to settle and shortly before the ninetieth minute Islamaj has the chance to win it, but Bracconi – one of the standout performers on the night – denies him with a vital reflex save. It finishes 1-1 in Dogana.

Here is the partial schedule for the eighth matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese, broadcast in full via free live streaming on Titani.tv: