League: Virtus stay perfect and end the year on top, La Fiorita keep up the chase

With a goal in each half, Virtus defeat Tre Fiori as well, claiming an eighth straight victory that keeps them top of the Campionato Sammarinese. The 18:00 kick-off in Montecchio – valid for Matchday 14 – is opened almost immediately: after just over 120 seconds Tortori puts Rea under pressure, the press is effective because Pecci wins it back and then, at the second attempt, slips in Bizzotto’s main marksman, who beats Nardi coming off his line with a delicate finish. The narrow lead for Bizzotto’s side holds until half-time and beyond. Tre Fiori do threaten in the 57th minute but Passaniti and Battistini beat away the Gialloblu’s attempts in quick succession. A little before the final quarter of an hour, however, Virtus put an exclamation mark on the contest: Montanari plays the ball into midfield for Golinucci, who drives forward with the ball at his feet, skips past a couple of yellow-and-blue shirts and, on the edge of the box, lets fly with a lethal left-footer that rockets into the top corner – a fantastic strike from the San Marino midfielder. Bizzotto’s men are flawless at the back as well and give nothing away, not even in stoppage time when Bernardi’s powerful shot is beaten away by Passaniti. Virtus win and remain top of the table, three points clear of La Fiorita. The Montegiardino side, however, have to come from behind against Juvenes-Dogana to claim the points and stay on the heels of the Neroverdi from Acquaviva. In the 15:00 kick-off in Domagnano, it is the team from the Castello of Serravalle who start better. The deadlock is broken midway through the first half when Arradi is brought down in the area by Marco Gasperoni and the referee points to the spot. Mazzavillani steps up and makes no mistake, putting his side in front. Fabbri’s team are buoyed by the opener and two minutes later they could easily double their lead: Arradi presses Mazzotti as he tries to build from the back and robs him of the ball, then drives quickly towards Vivan’s goal; the keeper comes off his line and the winger shoots right-footed from the edge, only to send it astonishingly over the bar. La Fiorita are having none of it and go in search of the equaliser: from an Affonso free-kick there is a precise header from Brighi that looks bound for the corner, but Gentilini produces a sensational save, worth as much as a goal. Ceci’s side keep pushing and just after the half-hour mark Mazzotti fires goalwards from a scramble, but the centre-back smacks the bar. The half ends with Juvenes-Dogana one up, but at the start of the second half La Fiorita turn it around. In the 49th minute Massari levels matters, reacting quickest to turn in a shot from Alex Ambrosini – who came on at half-time – that had come back off the post. The go-ahead goal follows shortly after: in the 52nd minute Marco Gasperoni plays a ball in behind towards the area, picking out Semprini, who steers it across into the far corner to put his side in front. Ten minutes later the Gialloblu midfielder completes a decisive brace as La Fiorita look to pull away: Ambrosini drives through the middle but is stopped, Valentini clears but not far enough and from the edge of the box Semprini sets his sights and, first time, curls it perfectly into the corner. After the third, Juvenes-Dogana can no longer muster a reaction and La Fiorita manage the contest comfortably through to the final whistle. In the other 15:00 fixtures, a late goal gives Folgore a narrow victory over Libertas, keeping them in the upper reaches of the table. Chances are scarce in the first half, but on the half-hour the match becomes an uphill battle for the Granata. Buzi, on the halfway line, drives between Golinucci and Pancotti but knocks the ball too far ahead; in trying to recover it he ends up clattering into Fall. The referee is just a couple of steps away and has no doubts: red card for the Libertas player and the Granata are down to ten. As expected, from that moment on it is Lasagni’s men who dictate the play, but they are unable to break the deadlock. Time ticks away until the 88th minute, when the Giallorossoneri finally find the decisive touch: Miori swings in a fine cross from the right and picks out Jacopo Raschi, whose header is worth three points. Folgore move on to 27 points – temporarily third, alongside Cosmos – while for Libertas it is a fifth straight defeat. The match in Fiorentino between Tre Penne and San Marino Academy is also decided in the closing minutes, after a rollercoaster of emotions between the two sides. The game at the Federico Crescentini Stadium is unlocked right at the start by Barretta’s thumping header from Amati’s precise corner. The Academy respond well soon after with a powerful right-footed effort from Giacopetti that thunders against the post. The San Marino forward then has two further opportunities, but Migani is always alert and shuts the door on him. Before the interval, however, the Academy find a deserved equaliser: Alberto Riccardi, direct from a free-kick on the edge of the area, surprises Migani to make it 1-1. Early in the second half (56') Tre Penne nose back in front: Dormi takes a short corner to Amati, who swings it into the middle, and the ball is diverted into his own net by Mattia Sancisi for an own goal that makes it 2-1. Cecchetti’s Titani do not give up and ten minutes later (66') they are level again: from just inside the Tre Penne half, Giacopetti threads a fine ball through to Simone Santi, who drives at goal and beats Migani coming out with his right foot. The match moves into the final minutes where it is Tre Penne who strike the decisive blow: Righini powers a long-range free-kick against the crossbar and on the rebound Luca Ceccaroli pounces like a predator, throwing himself at the loose ball to tuck away the final 3-2. Soon afterwards comes a red card – second yellow – for Mattia Ciacci, which dashes Academy’s hopes of a comeback. One goal from Brisigotti in the second half is enough for Faetano to get the better of Murata in the 19:00 kick-off at the Ezio Conti in Dogana. The best chance of the first half falls to Grassi’s side, who go very close on the half-hour: Acquarelli’s mistake allows Braga to steal in and shoot, but he hits the post; on the rebound Teixeira has a go, but Forconesi stretches superbly to keep it out. The sides go in at the break goalless, and it takes ten minutes of the second period (55') for the deadlock to be broken. Dulcetti shoots twice with his left from good positions, but Durso – who is not a goalkeeper by trade but is wearing the gloves tonight due to the usual emergency in the Bianconeri camp – denies him on both occasions; on the third, however, he is beaten by Brisigotti’s strike, which gives Faetano the lead. That goal stands until the end, despite a few chances that the Gialloblu fail to convert. In the end, though, it is Ricchiuti’s side who celebrate, bringing to an end a run of three consecutive defeats. This is the partial picture for Matchday 14 – with tomorrow’s fixtures still to come:

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