Play-offs: Virtus-La Fiorita finishes goalless

The first leg of the second semi-final of the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301 play-offs ends in a goalless draw. Virtus and La Fiorita serve up a highly tactical encounter, with Bizzotto’s and Manfredini’s sides more focused on not conceding than on going all out in search of goal. An overall fair draw based on what was seen on the pitch, with the San Marino runners-up on top in the first half, while Virtus had the better of the second. La Fiorita come flying out of the blocks, breaking through a couple of times down the right flank and missing the opener by a matter of centimetres. On 5 minutes Pancotti burns past Castiglioni and drills a low cross to the near post, where Andrea Battistini’s good positioning cuts out the ball destined for Russo. It is instead the other Battistini for Virtus, Manuel, who produces a miraculous goal-line clearance around the quarter-hour mark. Pancotti picks out Arrigoni’s run, and he lays it back for Lunadei, whose first-time strike from the edge of the box takes the goalkeeper out of the equation but is denied by the Virtus captain, stationed on the goal line to repel the danger. Nodari and his team-mates initially struggle to get to grips with La Fiorita’s attacking movement, and the Gialloblù threaten again through Russo on the half-hour: Andrea Battistini turns his effort behind for a corner, from which Fatica rises highest but heads off target. Vivan is untested throughout the first half, while his opposite number Battistini is forced to rush out of his area early in the second half to beat Russo to the ball. Amati latches onto the loose ball and tries his luck from the centre circle but cannot find a spectacular goal. Virtus gradually come out of their shell and, after several minutes of pressure, create the best chance of the second half through the Buonocunto-Tortori combination. The two players with the most quality in Bizzotto’s side carve out what looks like the perfect opportunity for the Neroverdi, only for it to be thwarted by a brilliant reflex save from Vivan. Buonocunto’s surge is irresistible as he drives in from the left channel before rolling a perfect ball across for Tortori. His strike partner hits it first time but lacks precision; Vivan, wrong-footed, still manages to smother the ball to the delight of the Gialloblù. There is little else of note before the final whistle, aside from a free-kick from Amati that sails over and a left-footed effort from Signate that Andrea Battistini gathers comfortably. At the other end, a gilt-edged chance falls to Ciacci, who brings the ball down in the middle of the box before firing with his right, only for Brighi to get a deflection in. The San Marino midfielder is less precise in stoppage time when he finds space on the edge of the area but sends his effort just over the bar. Defences and balance prevail between Virtus and La Fiorita: next Saturday, again at 15:00 but on the artificial pitch in Acquaviva, Luigi Bizzotto’s side will have no alternative but to win. Should the second leg also end in a draw, it will be La Fiorita – by virtue of their better record in the regular season – who will book their place in the play-off final. This is the picture after the first-leg semi-finals in the 2022-23 Campionato Sammarinese BKN301 post-season.

---