League: Zaccaria rescues La Fiorita as Tre Fiori and Cosmos close the gap

It takes a stoppage-time goal from Zaccaria for La Fiorita to salvage their clash with Folgore. In one of the late fixtures of the 13th round of the Campionato Sammarinese, Ceci’s side are held to a 1-1 draw by Lasagni’s men, who had gone in front on 90 minutes through Raul Ura. The first half is balanced, with chances at both ends – Guddo denies Zafferani and Bernardi scores but from an offside position – and the interval arrives with the deadlock still unbroken. In the second half a La Fiorita goal is also disallowed (Massari on 66 minutes) and it remains 0-0. Then comes the finale. On 89 minutes there is a pinpoint long ball from Raschi to Ura, who brings it down superbly, cuts inside onto his left, wrong-foots Zazas Sanchez and finds the far corner to put Folgore ahead. La Fiorita, understandably, refuse to accept defeat and immediately pile forward. In the third minute of added time their efforts are rewarded: Andrade swings in a cross from the corner of the box, Miori heads clear but on the edge of the area it drops to Giacomo Zaccaria, who brings it down, lets it bounce and then curls it perfectly with the outside of his boot into the top corner beyond a motionless Guddo. A magnificent and vital goal from the yellow-and-blues’ forward, saving his side at the death. In the table it is leaders Virtus who benefit, moving three points clear of the Montegiardino club. Behind La Fiorita, Tre Fiori also make up ground with a rout of Cailungo. The game is unlocked after ten minutes with a precise header from Prandelli – supplied by Manfroni – which beats Gallinetta. Five minutes later (16') comes the second: once again Manfroni provides the assist, this time for Benedettini, who drills a low diagonal shot with his right. On the half-hour mark Girolomoni’s yellow-and-blues make it three: Iuzzolino misplaces a back-pass towards Gallinetta and Bernardi pounces to make it 3-0. Before the break the margin grows to four: another defensive blackout from the Rossoverdi as Quaranta effectively plays in Prandelli, the No. 9 spots Bernardi in the middle and he has a simple task to tuck away the 4-0 and complete his brace. After the restart the yellow-and-blue whirlwind shows no sign of slowing. On 64 minutes Benedettini also completes his brace with a venomous right-foot strike from distance that catches Gallinetta out. It is a day of braces for the yellow-and-blues, and the scoring is joined by marksman Prandelli (now the league’s leading scorer with 10 goals), who on 76 minutes curls in a masterful free-kick that kisses the angle of post and bar and drops in behind Gallinetta. Late on there is room too for Djadji, who makes it 7-0 with a fine left-footed effort across goal. Tre Fiori move up to 26 points – three behind second-placed La Fiorita – and keep pace with the front-runners. Tre Penne, meanwhile, come from behind to beat Murata 4-2, returning to a league win they had been missing for over a month (1 November, 1-0 against Fiorentino). The first half ends with Grassi’s side in front after they break the deadlock on 31 minutes with a stunning strike from Pineschi: a curling right-footer from outside the box that finds the top corner and gives Migani no chance. The second half begins with Berardi’s men levelling on the hour: Cecchetti settles a post-corner scramble with a fine right-foot finish from the edge of the box. A few minutes later (71') Murata nose back in front: Migani claims a loose ball and attempts a clearance with his feet, but the ball clumsily smashes against Giaretta’s foot – the forward having stayed close to the Biancazzurri keeper – and ricochets into the net. Tre Penne roar back and, four minutes later (75'), restore parity through their former player Gaiani, who strikes a sweet volley from distance after a lay-off from Moscardi. The momentum is now with Berardi’s team, who take the lead on 78 minutes when Vandi prods home from close range after a goal-line clearance. On 90 minutes the goal that definitively seals it for Tre Penne arrives, with Dormi beating Teruel from long range – the makeshift keeper once again standing in for Murata’s injury-hit goalkeeping department – to make it 4-2 to the Biancazzurri. The encounter between San Giovanni and Libertas, kicking off at 18:00, is a thriller right to the end. The opening period belongs entirely to the Rossoneri, who take the lead on 15 minutes: a pass from Azael Garcia Rufer picks out Nicola Sartini, who controls on his chest and strikes right-footed from the edge of the box, finding the top corner. Midway through the half the task becomes even tougher for Buda’s Granata when Michael Battistini – following a heavy challenge on Aprea – is shown a second yellow card and sent off early. On 36 minutes Lisi’s side – with the coach on the bench in place of the suspended Tognacci – manage to double their advantage. Del Prete comes out and fouls Augusto Garcia Rufer, and referee Righi points to the spot. Aprea steps up and makes no mistake. After the break San Giovanni appear in full control, as underlined by Aprea’s close-range effort against the crossbar on 53 minutes. On 75 minutes the Rossoneri have another chance to kill it off, but Del Prete produces a monumental save on Augusto Garcia Rufer to keep his team alive. That proves crucial as Libertas get back into it on 81 minutes: Moretti launches a long ball from three-quarters to pick out Osayande, who does brilliantly to steer it into the far corner and halve the deficit. The momentum is all with the Granata, and just a minute later they go close to an unlikely equaliser again through Osayande, whose powerful left-footer is kept out by a foot save from Starna. Buda’s side push to the very end but it is not enough. The Borgo Maggiore derby goes to San Giovanni, who climb to 22 points and into seventh place on their own. The thirteenth league round then concludes with the 18:30 kick-off in Dogana between Cosmos and Juvenes-Dogana. The match at the Ezio Conti is opened on 13 minutes by a superb free-kick from Pierri, who beats Gentilini to put the Gialloverdi in front. Lepri’s men double their lead on 21 minutes: Pierri is brought down in the box and Ilie points to the spot. From twelve yards Ben Kacem keeps his cool and makes it 2-0. The Gialloverdi forward is also the star early in the second half when he completes the hat-trick of goals with a swivelled left-foot finish. It is a brace for Ben Kacem, taking him to ten league goals (joint-top scorer with Prandelli). On 68 minutes Juvenes-Dogana show some pride and attempt a comeback through Merli – who does well to round Celato as he comes out and then heads in the 3-1. It is not enough for Fabbri’s men, who succumb to their “cousins” Cosmos in the Serravalle castle derby – Cosmos now up to third place, two points behind La Fiorita. Here is the full picture from Matchday 13 of the Campionato Sammarinese:

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