League: Stunning Monday Night, Lombardi sends Virtus into raptures

After Sunday afternoon’s postponement due to fog, an unusual “Monday Night” brought the curtain down this evening on Matchday 20 of the Campionato Sammarinese and served up one of the best games of the season. Between Cosmos and Virtus it is Bizzotto’s Neroverdi who are celebrating, claiming a thrilling 3-2 win and staying top of the table, five points clear of La Fiorita – with the top-of-the-table clash coming up on Sunday 16 February. In Montecchio the match still kicks off in thick fog, but referee Albani rules that play can start. The opening stages are cagey and the scoreline remains unchanged. Midway through the first half, though, Bizzotto’s side take the lead and the game flips on its head. Buonocunto, as so often, delivers a free-kick to the far post for Michele Rinaldi’s header, and it finds the net. It’s the centre-back’s second league goal and the eleventh assist – best in the league – for the Neroverdi playmaker. Cosmos, however, are anything but passive and respond in the 33rd minute through Ben Kacem, but Passaniti does brilliantly to shut the door and preserve the lead. After the break the fog lifts and visibility improves considerably. The game benefits too and turns into a superb contest. On 65 minutes Cosmos manage to equalise: Biral works the ball to Fermi, who drives to the edge of the box; Pecci tracks back and intervenes but in doing so inadvertently serves Ben Kacem, who collects on the right and fires inside the near post, beating Passaniti. Virtus, inevitably, refuse to settle and restore their lead on 71 minutes: after Michele Rinaldi’s goal, it is once again a centre-back – this time Piscaglia – who capitalises on Lombardi’s touch in the goalmouth scramble and finishes it off. The tempo stays relentlessly high and in the 75th minute Selva’s side level again. Ammirati wins his duel with Lombardi down the right and drives the ball across, where Danilo Rinaldi nips in ahead of Passaniti to stab home for 2-2. Just a few minutes later (79’) Virtus take the lead for a third time, and this time it proves decisive. Buonocunto swings the ball in from the flank, Maggioli gets a touch but at the by-line it is recycled by Pecci, who lays it back for Lombardi; he lets it bounce and then unleashes a powerful first-time strike, beating Boldrin for 3-2. The intensity remains high right to the end but there are no further goals and Albani blows for full time. Virtus win again – that’s fourteen on the spin – and head into Sunday’s showdown with La Fiorita (15:00 in Dogana) in perfect shape. Another setback for Andy Selva’s Cosmos, who stay eighth and are for now outside the automatic play-off positions. Here is the full picture from Matchday 20 of the Campionato Sammarinese: Click here for the updated table.

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