League: Tre Penne ease past Libertas, Juvenes snatch it in stoppage time

Tre Penne beat Libertas 5-0 and claw back another two points on Domagnano, held yesterday by San Giovanni. Things immediately go their way. A first-time right-footed volley by Peluso (deflected by Rigoni), a towering header by Pieri on a cross from the same Peluso and a composed finish by Casadio after Libertas’ attempt to play out from the back is crushed, put Tre Penne 3-0 up inside the opening 10 minutes. Libertas do respond with Quarta, but Migani is equal to it. Then comes another cold shower when Senja brings down Pieri as he races through on goal: a clear DOGSO and an inevitable red card for the number 4 in maroon. Manzaroli gets his hands to the resulting free-kick by Pastorelli, and he also denies him again when D’Addario, with a backheel, sets him up for a shot inside the box. At the other end, Quarta again tests Migani, this time from a free-kick: a fine stop from the light-blue keeper, clawing the ball away from under the bar. Tre Penne, in any case, do not let up in their attacking play, and just after the half-hour they add a fourth: Turchetta delivers a perfect cross onto Pieri’s head and, from the edge of the six-yard box, he nods in to complete his brace. The first half ends with Turchetta clipping the angle of post and bar at the end of a counter-attack developed down the left flank. After the restart, Manzaroli quite literally puts his face in the way of a close-range blast from Nunes: the Libertas keeper, struck heavily in the face, keeps his goal intact, which is then beaten by a lob from Turchetta. But it is not 5-0: the referee disallows the goal because of the injury to the Libertas goalkeeper. Manzaroli recovers and is immediately called into action by Pieri, dangerous again in the six-yard box. In the 57th minute Peluso almost produces a back-heel wonder goal from a corner, in Roberto Mancini style, reminiscent of a late-90s Parma–Lazio. Badalassi, initially left on the bench, needs only a few minutes after coming on to leave his mark: another substitute, Kamouni, picks him out with a low cross and the centre-forward thunders the ball into the far top corner. It is the final seal on a second consecutive win for the side from Città.

That victory keeps them safe from the challenge of La Fiorita, who need just a single goal to get the better of Cosmos and extend their positive run. The match in Acquaviva is decided only after the break and begins with a sharp stop by Zavoli on Gjoni’s close-range touch. La Fiorita start to crank up the pressure on Alessandro Semprini’s goal: the Cosmos keeper gathers Cicarelli’s long-range effort and then has to pull off a far more difficult save to deny Dormi. Affonso wriggles free well in the box but skies the potential opener. Immediately afterwards, Zaccaria robs Carubini on the edge of the area and looks for a team-mate in the middle. Carubini himself tracks back and gets a touch on the ball, risking an own goal that Grieco cancels out with a stunning goal-line clearance. A few minutes later, Semprini is caught out by a shot-cross from Affonso but, fortunately for him, the referee rules it out for offside. On 40 minutes Zavoli pulls off an extraordinary save to deny Gjurchinoski’s seemingly certain goal-bound effort: he claws the ball away with his trailing hand and keeps it at 0-0. The second half opens with a header from a corner by Barretta, who rises high but powers it wide. Cosmos reply with a free-kick from the angle by Gjurchinoski: Zavoli is alert at his near post. La Fiorita also have a tempting set piece: Cicarelli takes it and misses the top corner by centimetres, the wall blocking the keeper’s view. Ceci’s men threaten again when Vitaioli spins on a corner and fires just wide of Semprini’s left-hand post. The number 7 in yellow and blue goes close again, attacking a deep cross from Zaccaria: he meets it with perfect timing but Semprini produces a fine save. At this stage of the game the teams begin to stretch out. And it is by galloping into the spaces that La Fiorita land the match-winning blow. Zaccaria releases Affonso, who races away from Carubini and then squares it for Jacopo Semprini, who can hardly miss from there. Cosmos do not find an immediate reaction. Instead it is La Fiorita who push for a second, but neither Dormi’s right-footed effort, nor Zaccaria’s teasing cross (tipped over for a corner by Semprini), nor Brighi’s header (left completely unmarked) manage to give Montegiardino a cushion. That almost proves costly, because in the closing stages Cosmos spark back into life and carve out three major chances. The first falls to Gjurchinoski, who finds space on the edge of the box but rushes his finish. The second is for Islamaj, who adjusts his body in the six-yard box for an overhead kick that Barretta somehow blocks with his face. And it is not over: the ball breaks to Hamati, who blazes over with the goal at his mercy. It ends 1-0: Cosmos’ nine-game unbeaten run comes to an end and they slip in behind Fiorentino.

They are also caught by Juvenes Dogana, who make full use of the dying seconds to complete their comeback in the head-to-head with Pennarossa. Boldrini’s side control proceedings throughout the first half, going close to the opener above all with Aprea. The start of the second half, however, belongs to Pennarossa who, after several attempts, finally celebrate the 1-0 on 65 minutes thanks to Gregori. The blow has the effect of waking Juvenes Dogana up, and they need only a few minutes to equalise: Nicola Sartini provides the crucial touch that restores parity in the Fiorentino fog. Pennarossa refuse to settle and immediately push back up the pitch. Domini’s free-kick from the edge is just too high, while Depaoli’s curling right-footer is too tame to trouble Colonna. At the other end, Giacomo Borghini takes matters into his own hands and forces Filippo Tordella into a difficult save to keep it at 1-1. In the 85th minute Aprea also has a go, but his shot drifts wide. A draw seems written. But it is not to be, because in the third minute of stoppage time Filippo Tordella brings down Benedetti, provoking a penalty, which Aprea steps up to take: he converts and seals three precious points for Juvenes Dogana, who leapfrog Pennarossa in the table and draw level with Cosmos. As for Ricchiuti’s men, their three-game unbeaten run comes to an end.

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