League: Last chance for Tre Penne against Virtus

The 12th matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese kicks off tomorrow. With the halfway point fast approaching, the sky-blue-and-whites of Tre Penne see their clash with leaders Virtus (tomorrow, 18:00) as perhaps their last chance to get their season back on track. It is a tough assignment, given the remarkable consistency with which all the top sides are picking up wins, and above all the 11-point gap separating Berardi’s team from the summit. It is a delicate fixture, which Tre Penne will face without suspended Sammarinese players Ceccaroli and Palazzi. For Bizzotto’s Virtus, it is an opportunity to lay down a marker: a win over Tre Penne would mean pulling away from at least two direct rivals, since the four chasing teams all face each other next weekend. That starts with Cosmos vs Tre Fiori, scheduled tomorrow in Domagnano. Girolomoni – suspended – will be unable to field Pini, who like his coach will have to watch this six-pointer from beyond the barriers. Lepri’s Gialloverdi, on the other hand, have only just returned to winning ways after three games without a goal. The absence through injury of Badalassi was keenly felt in the matches against La Fiorita, Tre Penne and San Giovanni, while against Folgore last week the Serravalle side produced an excellent response, including in terms of finishing. Murata, still without a recognised goalkeeper, will simultaneously face San Giovanni at the Stadio Federico Crescentini in Fiorentino. Now a regular presence in the upper reaches of the table, Tognacci’s team – whose coach has been handed a two-match touchline ban – are aiming to maintain their impressive run of results, all the more so if we set aside their off-day in the Coppa Titano. Four points taken from Cosmos and Tre Penne in their last two outings underline the value of a side that is now competitive in every match. On the other side, Murata have lost four of their last five, burdened by the enormous handicap of having to field an outfield player in goal. It is a situation that inevitably affects their approach on the pitch as well as their actual performances – as was evident in the move that cost them defeat at the death against Fiorentino. Saturday’s programme is rounded off by the Montecchio meeting between Faetano and Folgore. Both coming off an up-and-down run of results, they are looking for greater consistency in their performances. After a slow start, Ricchiuti’s side have forged a clear identity on the pitch, allowing the Gialloblù to climb back up into the play-off zone. Falciano’s club, by contrast, have won only one of their last four – a narrow victory over Murata, who on that occasion lost their second and last registered specialist goalkeeper. In partial mitigation for Lasagni’s men is a schedule that has pitted them against Virtus, Tre Penne and Cosmos. Even so, the table shows the Giallorossoneri only six points off top spot, with the chance to cut two or three points from the gap to those ahead of them, given the direct clashes on the fixture list. Saturday will also see La Fiorita take on Fiorentino. The Montegiardino side sit just behind leaders Virtus, while Fiorentino – two points further back – are eager to fuel their ambitions and finally shed the outsider label in favour of genuine contender status. On one side, La Fiorita’s collective organisation, built around top-level technical leaders; on the other, the flair and individual match-winning ability of Fiorentino’s fleet-footed forwards, on whom Tarini will rely to unlock opposition defences. A spectacle is guaranteed. No less important, in terms of different seasonal targets, are Cailungo vs San Marino Academy, Pennarossa vs Juvenes-Dogana and Domagnano vs Libertas. The latter will close the matchday, kicking off at 18:00 on Sunday. Following the coaching change from Sperindio to Buda, the Granata have picked up just two points from their last five games and intend to get back on track against Domagnano. Definitely out are the suspended Perazzini (Domagnano, 2 matches), Ahib and Grieco (Libertas, 1 each). Rossi’s side come into the game after drawing with Pennarossa, a match in which it was their opponents who were left ruing the missed opportunity to win. Dolci’s men will be looking to make amends in the Montecchio clash with Juvenes-Dogana. Level on six points in the table, neither side can really afford anything less than victory. Eleventh place is seven points away, and at this stage of the season it is already time to pay close attention to both the standings and head-to-head records. It is a tricky assignment for Pennarossa, who will be without suspended players Arlotti (2 matches) and Ricci (1). Completing the picture is the match in Domagnano between Cailungo and San Marino Academy. Sarti’s men have collected just one point from the eleven games played so far and want to lift their heads against Cecchetti’s young Biancazzurri. The outcome is impossible to call in a match that could be settled by a single incident or explode into a flurry of goals; what is certain is its huge importance for both sides, each seeing in the other an opportunity to move up the table. This is the programme for the 12th matchday of the 2024-25 Campionato Sammarinese, with all fixtures available live via streaming and on demand on the Titani.TV platform.

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