League, quarter-finals: first act to San Giovanni, while balance prevails between Cosmos and Tre Penne

The third meeting of the season between Cosmos and Tre Penne is almost a carbon copy of the first, played on 9 November: 1-1 then as now; Badalassi and Nigretti on the scoresheet then as now. The only difference, in the first leg of the quarter-finals, is that this time it is Tre Penne who go 1-0 up. The Biancazzurri’s goal is like a flash of lightning that cuts through the so‑called feeling-out phase. In the 9th minute, Guidi clips the ball in from the edge of the box and Nigretti, with his knee, finds a way – perhaps not orthodox but certainly effective – to beat Semprini. Cosmos’ reaction comes and stems above all from Pastorelli’s flank: on 15 minutes the winger gets away from Lombardi and delivers a perfect assist for Biral, who wastes it from close range. Lombardi tries to make amends from Dormi’s free-kick floated into the area: his header drifts just wide. Pastorelli takes centre stage again on the half-hour mark: a fine cross for Badalassi, who moves well in the middle of the area but fails to make clean contact with the ball. The first half sparks back into life in its closing stages. Here Dormi is guilty of being over-generous: in his successful attempt to prevent a throw-in, he effectively gifts the ball to Pierri, who exchanges passes with Biral and then unleashes a shot that only just clears the bar thanks to Gaiani’s crucial touch. Two minutes later Cosmos win a free-kick on the corner of the box, which is entrusted to Pastorelli: the left-footed rainbow that curls off the no. 7’s boot leaves Migani rooted to the spot but, to his relief, whistles just past the post. In stoppage time Semprini, in seemingly calm control, clears the ball straight at Guidi: the no. 7 immediately tries to punish the keeper’s lapse, but the yellow-and-green goalkeeper is lightning-quick to redeem himself on the ground. At the other end, Badalassi sends Biral’s cross beyond the far post, but Pierri does brilliantly both to prevent the ball from going out of play and to put it on the head of Pastorelli, who forces Migani into a smart save.

The second half sparks into life straight away with a swivel and shot from Badalassi on the edge of the area, an easy one for Migani. The second attempt from the yellow-and-green centre-forward – one of the many former Tre Penne players on show – is the one that counts. The move develops in a direct vertical pattern: Beninati plays a through ball for Biral, who with a brilliant back-heel touch sends Badalassi through on goal against Migani. The finish is clinical and, given the striker’s past at Tre Penne, the celebration is muted. The tempo then drops, only to rise again around the half-hour. Scarponi exchanges passes with Guidi, also using Palazzi’s dummy, then cuts inside and shoots over. Two minutes later Amati aims for the near post from a free-kick and Semprini stretches to turn it behind for a corner. Tre Penne push on with a cross from distance by D’Addario towards Scarponi, who, sandwiched between two opponents, is unable to get a good header on it. On the counter, Ben Kacem runs at D’Addario and unleashes a thunderous right-footed drive which Migani turns away with an excellent save. In the closing minutes Pastorelli also tries to catch the Tre Penne keeper out at his near post but, like Badalassi before him, without success. The final snapshot of the match is a long ball from Mularoni which once again sends Badalassi clean through on Migani. This time, however, the striker hesitates too long before shooting and, by the time he does, Barretta is in position to block. It finishes 1-1 and everything remains wide open ahead of the second leg, scheduled for Tuesday evening at the Stadio di Montecchio.

The second match on Saturday, unlike the first, produces a winner. Augusto Garcia Rufer’s goal settles in favour of San Giovanni a contest that is overall short on excitement. The first threat comes from the first corner, won by Folgore: Sartori swings it onto the head of Miori, who forces Starna into action. San Giovanni push up quickly and Sartini tries his luck from distance but sends the ball over. Aprea also shoots off target from the edge of the box after a lay-off from Augusto Garcia Rufer; in his case, however, the presence of the Folgore defence goes some way to “explaining” the miscue. Equally wayward is the free-kick that Azael Garcia Rufer wins and takes himself: the ball flies into the clouds. Another set piece for San Giovanni arrives on the half-hour, this time from a very inviting position: Zanni goes for the post left uncovered by the wall but finds Guddo well positioned and able to gather the ball cleanly. Aprea has another go from outside the box, with no more luck than before, while at the other end Ura reaches the by-line and hangs up a cross to the back post, where Bernardi, in a stretching effort, even gets there ahead of Sartori (who would have had more room to shoot) and sends his effort well wide of the target. The first half ends with another Folgore attempt: Pancotti puts too much power into his left-footer and blazes it over. The goalless scoreline is an accurate reflection of a very flat opening period.

The second half needs barely 20 seconds to come to life: Ura bursts into the area and delivers a cross to the back post for Pancotti, who is denied at the last second by Celli, who injures himself in the process and will later have to ask to be substituted. It marks the start of a spell of sustained pressure from Folgore, who, however, cannot find a way through to test Starna. San Giovanni stay compact, waiting for the right chance to strike. That chance comes in the 65th minute, when Fall dallies on the ball just outside his own box: Augusto Garcia Rufer robs him and then bears down on Guddo all alone, beating him with ease. The incident does not lead to an increase in tempo; the second half remains as sluggish as the first. Folgore carve out a chance to equalise on the counter-attack, with San Giovanni caught out from their own corner: Turrisi, from the flank, plays the ball into the middle for Ura, who has space but does not shoot first time and, when he eventually does, fails to catch it cleanly: Starna gratefully gathers. Shortly afterwards, fierce protests erupt from the Falciano side, following a Miori header that is met by an ungainly challenge from Nicola Sartini: with an arm, say the Giallorossoneri, in a natural manner says the referee. Beyond this, nothing else happens before added time. Zanni goes in search of 2-0 with a slaloming run that ends with a shot well wide. At the other end, Ura sends in a dangerous cross that flashes across the face of goal; Adami Martins collects and finishes the move with a left-footed shot that just clears the bar. Play does not resume: the referee blows straight for full-time in the first leg, which goes San Giovanni’s way. On Tuesday comes the second act of a tie that currently sees Folgore having to chase the game.

Here is the full quarter-final schedule:

Click here for the updated table.