League: Own goal settles Cosmos-Juvenes Dogana derby

The long-distance title duel gets a new chapter, as Tre Fiori wait to make up their match with Cosmos – rescheduled for 28 January. In Montecchio there are two contentious incidents early on for potential handballs in each box: in both cases, the referee sees no grounds for a penalty. Between the two, a long-range piledriver from Tumidei forces Nardi into action. With their first real effort, the league leaders strike: Benedettini’s cross is met at the far post by Sirri, whose left-footed effort – brushed by Federico Vandi – leaves Casadei with no chance. His opposite number Nardi is decisive, though, when Bastianelli is presented with a huge opportunity, shooting from the heart of the area. After the break, Girolomoni’s men double their lead within five minutes: Benedettini finds the far corner with a powerful and precise shot from distance. Censoni’s strike is also easy on the eye and would have made it three, were it not for a previous foul spotted by the referee. In the final portion of the game, Pesaresi adds the 3-0, planting a header past Casadei. Earlier on, with the same technique, Prandelli had been forced to bow to an outstanding reflex save from the opposing goalkeeper. Before the end, there is also room for Bernardi on the scoresheet: the fourth goal arrives via a left-footed effort from the edge of the box.

In Acquaviva, it takes Virtus just over two minutes to take the lead against Folgore. Credit to Scappini, who steers in Sabato’s low cross from the by-line: former Folgore keeper De Angelis cannot effectively deal with the striker’s firm header. Bizzotto’s side then waste two chances to double their advantage through Zenoni and are left to rue them at the end of the half, when an own goal from De Lucia beats Passaniti. All square at the interval. And on the restart it is Folgore who almost complete the turnaround: Pancotti loops a cross over Passaniti from the by-line and Rinaldi makes a crucial interception on the line, denying Augusto Garcia Rufer. Shortly afterwards, Fall miscues an acrobatic effort from close range. Just as in the first half, the missed chances are punished: with their first foray of the second period, Virtus hit the target, as Sabato serves up his second assist of the night, this time for Zenoni’s header, which restores their lead. Late on, Scappini spurns the chance to make the game safe, firing over with only De Angelis to beat. There is no reason for regrets this time, though: Virtus – made to work extremely hard – stay in touch with Tre Fiori by edging a very good Folgore side by a single goal.

It is all Juvenes Dogana in the opening spell of the derby with Cosmos, but despite the chances created by Aprea and especially Gianmaria Borghini, Boldrini’s men cannot find the breakthrough – with the elder Borghini skimming Semprini’s upright. Hamati tries to rouse Cosmos, but Davide Colonna is virtually untested. And so an own goal is what unlocks the Serravalle derby: a debut to forget for Maioli, who, in trying to nip in ahead of Nicola Sartini in the middle of the box, clumsily diverts the ball into Semprini’s net. In the same box, after the break, tempers flare for a coming together between Mazzavillani and Islamaj, with Cosmos claiming a penalty. At the other end Aprea and Nicola Sartini both go close to doubling the lead, but the ball drifts wide from the former’s cross-shot – flicked on by the latter. The game is anything but spectacular, yet remains on a knife-edge right to the end. That makes the late saves from Davide Colonna and Semprini, to deny Andretta and Benedetti respectively, all the more valuable. The scoreline does not change, and Juvenes Dogana are able to move clear of their neighbours, climbing to 24 points in the table.

There is little to report in the opening minutes of La Fiorita-San Marino Academy, and overall wayward finishing dominates the first half. From mid-range, Renzi and Dormi both fail to hit the target early on. The best chances – one apiece – come from corners and fall, fittingly, to defenders’ heads. Shortly after the half-hour, Mattia Ciacci goes close to a second goal in as many games but cannot direct his header on target. At the other end, Barretta does manage to find the frame of the goal just before the break, but his downward header lacks both power and angle: Conti can help it over the bar without any trouble, and then, in stoppage time, is called into action by Guidi, blocking with his feet after a mistake from Mattia Ciacci. The Gialloblù forward makes amends after the interval, breaking the deadlock on 55 minutes with a precise header from Affonso’s cross. At the start of the same move, and again with a header, Guidi had struck the post with the goalkeeper beaten. Late on, a penalty-box incident in La Fiorita’s area sparks protests from the Academy dugout, who loudly demand a spot-kick. Moments later, Semprini wraps it up with a thunderbolt into the corner for the final 2-0 at 90+1 minutes, probably a scoreline that is a little harsh on what the young Biancazzurri showed this evening.

Below is the full schedule for Matchday 17 of the 2025-26 Campionato Sammarinese: