League: second-half wins for Tre Fiori, La Fiorita and Folgore

Three Sunday late fixtures in the third round of the Campionato Sammarinese: at 15:00 Tre Fiori, up against Juvenes-Dogana, go in search of top spot, currently occupied by Tre Penne. At the same time La Fiorita face Murata in Domagnano. The programme closes with Folgore-Faetano, scheduled for 18:30 in Montecchio.

At the same ground Girolomoni is back in the Tre Fiori technical area after serving a two-match ban picked up at the end of last season. Early on it is Juvenes-Dogana who carve out the first real chance, freeing captain Colonna on the edge of the box: Nardi stands firm. At the other end, an irresistible run by Benedettini ends with a low ball to the near post, where Pini is ready to pounce for the opener but has to yield to a risky – yet fair – last-ditch intervention by Stefano Sartini. Boldrini’s men threaten again down the Gaiani-Aprea channel, but the finish is wayward. Tre Fiori start the second half the brighter: a one-two between Bernardi and Censoni sends the latter through in the area, only for the spin of the ball to betray him just as he shapes to shoot. On 53 minutes Bernardi also has a go, his left-footer from the edge shaving Colonna’s upright. A thoroughly balanced contest is decided in the home straight. Girolomoni throws on Mema and Brisigotti, pushing the Gialloblù further forward: a choice that pays off in the 88th minute, when Juvenes-Dogana lose their men on a Brisigotti cross, allowing Bernardi to burst through and stamp home a three-point goal. Tre Fiori make it three wins from three and move up to 9 points, level with leaders Tre Penne.

A subdued start in Domagnano, where the first chance falls to La Fiorita. Grandoni ghosts in at the far post for a header, sending the ball just wide of the same upright. Salemme also tries his luck with a header from a corner, but Vivan’s touch prevents him from making the desired contact from close range. At the start of the second half the first shot on target comes from Baldazzi, though it fails to trouble Vivan. Mazzotti is more effective, breaking the deadlock with his trademark move: a perfectly timed leap on a Nappello corner, the ball nestling in the net after kissing the crossbar. A quarter of an hour from time Ceci’s side move into safer waters. A double save by Bracconi, following a Dormi set-piece, only delays the 2-0 for a few seconds. It is Joao Affonso who converts from the spot – facing his former club and flawless from eleven metres. The penalty is awarded for an obvious shirt pull by Tomassoni on Barretta. La Fiorita’s clean sheet also bears the mark of Vivan, monumental as he denies Tomassoni’s point-blank header in the 77th minute. Salemme fares no better, working space to shoot from twenty metres but coming away with just a corner. Minutes later Murata protest furiously, claiming a missed penalty for a coming together between Grandoni and Salemme. Deep into added time La Fiorita further pad their lead on the counter: a superb Affonso-Dormi one-two sends the latter through to score. It is not the final twist of the half, which ends with a penalty awarded to Murata and converted by Salemme. La Fiorita take the win and move back into the black, up to 2 points in the table despite the -5 penalty with which they started the campaign. Opposite situation for Murata, bottom on -8.

The final game of the third round, played in Montecchio between Folgore and Faetano, also produced a first half with few clear-cut chances. Among them, a free-kick from Sartori, who goes for goal from an extremely tight angle: Venturini is alert and agile, scrambling back to claw the ball away from the top corner. As the minutes tick by, Folgore take authoritative control of proceedings and break the deadlock at the start of the second half. The move develops down the left and is finished on the right, where Pancotti whips in a cross to the near post for Daidola’s run – the forward doing well to lose his marker and beat Venturini with a right-foot finish. On 55 minutes the striker doubles his tally: Ura drives inside on his right before sliding the ball into the heart of the box, where Daidola throws himself in with a sliding finish to make it 2-0 from close range. A minute later Pancotti even has the chance to make it 3-0, but cannot find the corner in his one-on-one with Venturini. Faetano battle to the end and are unlucky when Abbadessa’s header crashes against the upright with De Angelis beaten.

Here is the full picture of the third matchday of the Campionato Sammarinese, which will be broadcast in full, live – and completely free of charge – on Titani.tv.