League: Virtus fly even higher, Tre Penne snatch last-gasp win

  Virtus soar ever higher, making the big match against Murata their own as they consolidate top spot with an eleventh consecutive victory. In the Saturday curtain-raiser in Montecchio for the 11th round of the BKN301 Championship, the Neroverdi claim yet another success, inspired by a superb Ivan Buonocunto – scorer of both goals. Bizzotto’s side start at full throttle and within minutes Pecci’s cross-shot crashes against the bar. Murata, led by Raul Ura – who was presented before kick-off with the BKN301 MVP award for November – try to respond, but the Neroverde backline underlines its excellent record (just four goals conceded, best in the league), snuffing out the Bianconeri’s attacking threats. The deadlock is broken on 25 minutes in favour of Virtus: Buonocunto combines neatly with Sabato down the left, then cuts into the box, the return pass is perfectly weighted and the number ten, with a delicate left-footed finish, beats Gueye as he comes out. Virtus push hard for a second before the break, but both Tortori and Pecci – on separate occasions – fail to find the goal that would have given them breathing space. At the start of the second half Murata threaten through a fine solo run from Ura, which ends with a good effort on goal, but Passaniti produces an excellent save. Virtus’ second arrives with twenty minutes to go: the ever-influential Buonocunto plays vertically into Pecci, who drives into the area before squaring again for the Neroverde playmaker, who makes no mistake with his right foot to complete his brace. Murata refuse to lie down and immediately surge forward again: once more it is Ura who unleashes a powerful drive from distance, but Passaniti is equal to it. In the closing stages Tortori also looks to get on the scoresheet, but Gueye denies the Neroverde striker with a fine block. It is no concern for Virtus, who win, convince, and extend their lead at the top on 33 points (provisionally +6 on Tre Penne and +7 on La Fiorita, who play tomorrow). Murata, meanwhile, see their run halted after three consecutive wins. A winning but nerve-jangling outing for Tre Penne, who as mentioned move back into second place and stay in the slipstream of leaders Virtus. The reigning champions create more than their Granata opponents but lack the decisive touch in the first half. The Biancazzurri advantage comes after the restart: a pinpoint cross from Vandi finds the head of Imre Badalassi, who beats Elia Benedettini with his 10th league goal of the season. Libertas, however, draw level two minutes from the 90th minute, when a precise pass with the outside of the boot from Sapori picks out Muci, who goes through on Migani and slots home for 1-1. But with virtually the last kick – in the fifth minute of added time – Lombardi launches one long for Pieri, who produces a delightful lob to make it 2-1 and send his side into raptures. San Marino Academy also return to winning ways – their first victory in two months – overcoming Faetano with a goal in each half. Cecchetti’s men edge in front just after the half-hour mark: Severi does well to work the ball in the inside-left channel before spreading it wide to Bortolotto, whose cross picks out Nicko Sensoli, timing his run perfectly between the Gialloblu shirts to beat Manzaroli and put the Academy ahead. The second comes on the hour, via a long ball from Luvisi for Famiglietti, who breaks the line, stays onside and with a quick touch beats the onrushing Manzaroli. Faetano try to get back into it late on, but Battistini’s side deal effectively with the visitors’ efforts and also manage to keep a clean sheet. The Titans thus win and pick up three precious points to move up the table and edge closer to the play-off places. Cosmos keep motoring, claiming a third straight win and doing so in emphatic fashion. After hitting four past both Juvenes-Dogana and San Marino Academy, Berardi’s team go one better with five against Pennarossa. Almost everything happens in the first half. The game bursts into life immediately and within just six minutes there are three goals. With barely a minute played, Pennarossa go in front when Michelotti’s shot ricochets off Gialloverdi goalkeeper Tacchi for a bizarre own goal. On 4 minutes Cosmos hit back quickly: D’Addario squares in the box for the inevitable Prandelli, who nets his 12th goal of the campaign to extend his lead in the scoring charts. Two minutes later Berardi goes down in the area after a challenge and the referee points to the spot: just as he did for the national team with his historic goal against Finland, the San Marino forward makes no mistake and puts his side ahead. But Berardi’s afternoon in Fiorentino is far from over, as he shines throughout. On 26 minutes he makes it 3-1, the Gialloverdi striker this time picked out by D’Addario (two assists for the winger) before drilling past Lazzarini with his right. Good things come in threes for Berardi, who completes his hat-trick on 32 minutes: Cosmos pile on the pressure, Lazzarini saves twice, but at the third attempt the San Marino forward finally beats him. With just over half an hour played, the game is effectively put to bed for Nicola Berardi’s side, who look to be back to last season’s level (when they finished second). After the break the Gialloverdi keep pushing to further embellish the scoreline. Following a goal ruled out for offside on 67 minutes, the fifth duly arrives, signed by Errico, who deceives Lazzarini from a wide free-kick. In the last match of the Saturday programme, Tre Fiori respond in kind to the wins recorded by Cosmos and Tre Penne by overcoming Cailungo – though not without difficulty. In fact, De Falco’s team have to rely on stoppage time to turn around a Cailungo side who, despite being a man down, had gone 1-0 up. It is the 56th minute when Tani, already on a booking, receives his second yellow card. Even so, Cailungo find a way to take the lead through Urbinati’s predatory finish in the 84th minute. At that point Tre Fiori launch a siege, which yields the equaliser in the 4th minute of added time, when Mazzotti floats in a cross for Cecconi who, left unmarked by the defence, has time to control and lift a precise lob into the net. That would seem to be enough, but it is not. In the 8th minute of stoppage time, a cross from the right by Volunni drops perfectly onto the head of Islamaj, who powers it home from the middle of the area to hand three golden points to the Fiorentino side. Here is the updated schedule for the 11th round of the San Marino BKN301 Championship, with all matches broadcast live – with full commentary – on TITANI.TV:

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