League: Tre Fiori hit top gear, stalemate in Acquaviva

Tre Fiori and La Fiorita, both involved in the midweek Sammarinese Super Cup, wrapped up the programme for Matchday 1 of the 2026-27 Campionato Sammarinese by taking on Pennarossa and Virtus respectively in Sunday’s two late kick-offs.

At the Acquaviva Stadium, Oscar Muratori made his official debut in the Virtus dugout, taking over from Luigi Bizzotto and inheriting a heavily revamped squad compared to the group of players that has given the neroverdi fans so much joy over the last three years. There were new faces on the opposite side too, with Ceci handing a start to Serges – sharp enough to release Bonetti down the flank, but last season’s top scorer was unable to get a shot away, marshalled by De Lucia and closed down by Guddo’s intervention. Virtus replied through Piscitella, who combined on the wing with Buonocunto before cutting inside onto his right foot in the box, only to see his effort crucially blocked by skipper Barretta. Just past the half-hour mark, Virtus carved out two promising openings: the first, from a transition starting in their own area, ended with Lahrach pulling the ball back for Golinucci and Piscitella, who got in each other’s way and squandered what was effectively a penalty in open play. Shortly afterwards, again down the right, Lisanti cut inside onto his left and aimed for the far post – Zavoli saving. Blanco pounced on the loose ball, but his drive struck Barretta full on. Virtus were the better side, yet Muratori’s men paid for a lack of cutting edge, and even Buonocunto was not exempt as he shot wide from the heart of the box on 44 minutes. The start of the second half followed the same pattern, with Lahrach going close to breaking the deadlock from a Piscitella cross. La Fiorita threatened on the counter on 57 minutes, when Berardi – after a neat dribble in the final third – fired his left-footer straight at De Lucia, failing to make the most of a three-on-two. Virtus went back on the attack on the hour, exploiting a throw-in to pick out Piscitella in the middle of the area: after miscuing a volley, he tried to back-heel the ball goalwards but could only send it wide. Subsequent attempts by Lisanti and Enchisi caused no real problems for either goalkeeper. It was a different story on 78 minutes, when Piscitella was able to shoot from inside the box: Zavoli got down smartly to his left, clawing away what looked a certain winner for the neroverdi. That was the last genuine chance of the match, aside from tame efforts by Semprini and Paramatti in and beyond stoppage time. Virtus and La Fiorita produced the first goalless draw of the opening round.

The outcome in Montecchio was completely different, where Tre Fiori began their title defence against Pennarossa. The two number 20s traded early blows: Benedettini clipped the top corner after 4 seconds, while Gjonaj shot straight at Nardi from a tight angle. Shortly afterwards Prandelli tried his luck from a set piece and Mema with his left, but the two forwards – now opponents after sharing a dressing room in yellow and blue last season – failed to trouble the goalkeepers. More dangerous was Mengucci’s burst forward, freeing Bernardi in the box: the striker’s effort was blocked by a defender before the Pennarossa backline could clear the danger. Around the 20-minute mark the attacking focal points were back in the spotlight: Prandelli failed to hit the target with a header, while Mema forced Nardi into action with a powerful low drive. To change the scoreline, something special was needed: Prandelli and Belward obliged with two moments of brilliance within 200 seconds, although the score remained level. Tre Fiori struck first from a free-kick into the top corner by their captain, before the winger signed from Fiorentino levelled with a curling left-footer to the far post – finishing off a delightful outside-of-the-boot switch of play from Gjonaj. Parity did not last more than three minutes after the restart, the time it took Sami to release D’Addario down the flank – his perfect low cross finding the run of Prandelli in the middle, who beat Manzaroli again before colliding with the Pennarossa keeper. This time Girolomoni’s side did not give their opponents a way back, moving 3-1 up on 58 minutes: Benedettini latched onto a loose ball and drilled it into the bottom corner to open his scoring account for the season, which he doubled on 71 minutes when the midfielder sealed Tre Fiori’s fourth, finding the top corner to Manzaroli’s left from 20 metres, catching him out. With nothing left to lose, Costantini’s men threw bodies forward and threatened through a free-kick by Marco Evaristi and a central surge from Calderone – denied at the last by a phenomenal recovery from Rea. It was the substitute Calderone himself who kept alive faint hopes of a comeback, turning in to make it 4-2 after an unstoppable run by Abouzziane. Any growing belief was immediately quenched by Ben Kacem with a stunning goal. Receiving the ball tight to the by-line with a defender at his back, the former Pennarossa man spun onto his left foot and produced a looping effort that was hard even to imagine. It was a goal worthy of the applause for Girolomoni’s new centre-forward, who wrapped up the scoring and ensured a winning start for reigning champions Tre Fiori.

These are the results at the end of Matchday 1 of the 2026-27 Campionato Sammarinese: