Super Cup: Virtus win their third, surviving almost the entire second half with ten men

The pre-Christmas fog spares no one, not even the clash between Virtus and Tre Fiori with the season’s first piece of silverware on the line: the San Marino Super Cup. The Neroverdi come into it as holders of every domestic title, while the club from Fiorentino take part as last season’s Coppa Titano runners-up – fully determined to avenge their defeat in the final at San Marino Stadium. The 2025 Super Cup, however, is awarded at the Acquaviva Stadium.

After a couple of early forays from Virtus that come to nothing, it is Tre Fiori who register the first shot on target. Bernardi swings a ball to the far post for Prandelli, who cannot get enough power on his header. Bernardi then tries the same route himself, but sends his effort over in the 7th minute. Shortly afterwards, Scarcella pounces on a Dolcini interception to drive into the box, going to ground in the ensuing challenge: Xhafa deems it a dive and books him, and a minute later shows a yellow to Prandelli for dissent. The Tre Fiori captain protested that Passaniti had picked up with his hands a back-pass from a team-mate. The clearest chance of the first half, though, falls to Virtus: the outstanding quality of Buonocunto tears the Tre Fiori defence apart, but Lombardi, arriving late, fails to hit the target with his left foot. Soon after, Dolcini does brilliantly to cut out a Buonocunto through ball that would have sent Benincasa clean through on Nardi. The deadlock is finally broken on 32 minutes by a fine piece of play from Benincasa, again set up by Buonocunto: the forward is quick to bring the ball under control and unleash a left-footed strike from twenty metres that gives Nardi no chance. Virtus try to build on the momentum, but an extraordinary solo run from Zenoni – who slaloms past three opponents in succession – finds no team-mates ready in the middle. The winger, signed from Pennarossa, then fails to find the right touch with a lob from forty metres after intercepting a poor clearance from Nardi. Tre Fiori clearly feel the impact of going behind and struggle to build any threat going forward: in the 42nd minute Girolomoni’s men earn a free-kick from twenty-five metres, entrusted to the left foot of Sirri, who hits the wall full on.

There are no changes at half-time, and the restart sees Virtus immediately probing down the Amati–Zenoni channel, but the winger cannot bring the ball under control a few metres from goal. Tre Fiori respond through a deep run from Sirri who, caught between shooting and slipping a pass through, fails to find the right weight of ball for his strikers. The potentially decisive moment arrives in the 53rd minute: from a Neroverdi corner, the ball runs through to the far post where Pesaresi and Benincasa get tangled; the referee spots a retaliatory gesture from the forward and shows him a straight red card. Four minutes later Tre Fiori threaten through Dolcini, whose right-footed effort from inside the area is kept out by Passaniti. Their best chance to level comes on the hour: Pini reaches the by-line and crosses to the far post, where Scarcella brings it down and shoots left-footed, shaving the top corner. Bizzotto turns to his bench, sending on Scappini and Golinucci and reshaping into a 4-4-1. Girolomoni replies with Vandi and Mema, pushing his side higher in search of the equaliser: that opens up space for Virtus on the counter, as on 68 minutes when Zenoni hits the post from a Buonocunto assist. Then, a minute later, Nardi produces a monumental save to deny Scappini’s close-range volley. Virtus fail to make their chances for a second goal count and Tre Fiori – on 77 minutes – squander the penalty that could have brought them level. Xhafa penalises what he judges to be a handball by Buonocunto as he blocks Vandi’s cross. With Prandelli off injured, Mema steps up to take responsibility from the spot, but Passaniti guesses right and saves, keeping the Neroverdi in front. A highly charged finale includes four minutes of stoppage time, during which Tre Fiori push desperately for the goal that would force an extra half-hour. The Virtus backline, virtually flawless even with a man down, give the Gialloblù nothing – and they are beaten 1-0 in this unprecedented San Marino Super Cup staged on the eve of Christmas Eve. The Dolomia MVP award for the final, the first ever presented in Sammarinese competitions, goes to the hands and gloves of Alessandro Passaniti – the Virtus goalkeeper. The Acquaviva club, after last season’s Treble, write another piece of history for the competition by winning the Super Cup for a third consecutive edition – something never achieved before.

San Marino Super Cup 2025 | Virtus–Tre Fiori 1-0

VIRTUS (4-4-2)

Passaniti; Battistini, Rinaldi, Piscaglia (75’ De Lucia), Sabato; Lombardi (63’ Scappini), Montanari, Amati (63’ Golinucci), Zenoni (89’ Niang); Buonocunto (89’ Ciacci), Benincasa

Substitutes: Guddo, Muggeo, Giacomoni

Coach: Luigi Bizzotto

TRE FIORI (3-4-1-2)

Nardi; Pesaresi, Rea (71’ M. Sancisi), Sirri; Scarcella (65’ Vandi), Dolcini, Sami, Pini (65’ Mema); Benedettini; Bernardi, Prandelli (75’ Braschi)

Substitutes: Castagnoli, Censoni, Rastelli, N. Sancisi, Brisigotti

Coach: Danilo Girolomoni

Referee: Durim Xhafa

Assistants: Giuseppe Macaddino, Massimo Pasi

Fourth official: Andrea Righi

Scorer: 32’ Benincasa

Booked: Scarcella, Prandelli, Amati, Rea, Sabato, Vandi, Rinaldi, Buonocunto

Sent off: Benincasa

Notes: Passaniti saves a penalty from Mema on 77’