Super Cup: Tre Fiori win with a last‑gasp penalty in the 120th minute

The spotlight on the 2022-23 San Marino football season falls on La Fiorita-Tre Fiori. The reigning league champions face the Fiorentino club, holders of the Coppa Titano, in front of the crowd at the Acquaviva Stadium in the contest for the 2022 San Marino Super Cup. Lasagni has virtually no options in terms of line-up, with several players suspended following the closing fixtures of last season. On the Tre Fiori side, the notable absentee is coach Andy Selva – who made his debut by taking the gialloblù through the first round of the UEFA Europa Conference League. As with most finals, the Super Cup decider starts off cagey. La Fiorita try to break the deadlock with a corner swung directly on target, but Alessandro Semprini is alert and punches clear. The reply comes from Gjurchinoski, picked out brilliantly by Rastelli on the edge of the area: first touch and a left-footed shot that Vivan watches past the post, not by much. Bartolini also threatens with his left, bringing down a long ball from Grassi, but he is denied by a crucial intervention from Alessandro Semprini, whose brave save proves vital for Tre Fiori. At the other end, Falzetta is not as clinical: superbly found by an inspired Rastelli, he delays his right-footed effort in front of Vivan, cuts back onto his left under pressure from Matteo Semprini and fires well wide. The match settles into a stalemate with no real chances until the 38th minute, when Vitaioli robs Traini and feeds Bartolini. The pass inside to Grassi is immediate and the latter releases Pancotti on the counter-attack. De Lucia confronts him inside the area, allowing only a tight-angled effort with the weaker foot. Semprini does the rest, turning away the San Marino youngster’s right-footed diagonal. It is the last highlight of a balanced but goalless first half. The first chance of the second half, with no changes at the break, falls to Tre Fiori. Traini takes a quick throw-in, releasing Gjurchinoski for a one-on-one with Brighi. The forward goes to ground and claims a foul just after entering the box, but Ucini waves play on. Selva’s men begin to get on top. Bernardi replaces Traini on the hour mark and tests Vivan twice in quick succession. First from a tight angle, drawing a save, then from the heart of the box at the end of a run by Martin, who had been picked out by Grani. A fortuitous deflection off Romagna spoils the striker’s effort, which crashes against the inside of the post before bouncing back into play. Earlier, Vivan had done well to read Gjurchinoski’s run, beating him to the ball just outside the area. Tre Fiori appeal in the 73rd minute for a possible handball by Greco on De Lucia’s close-range shot, but once again Ucini sees no grounds for a penalty. The captain will soon make amends when his near-post movement from a right-sided corner proves decisive. He meets it first time, with a slight deflection off a defender, leaving Vivan no chance and breaking the deadlock with a quarter of an hour remaining. La Fiorita need barely five minutes to get back on terms: Pancotti takes on Rastelli down the right and drills in a dangerous cross that Vitaioli flicks on with his head. Grani is in the ball’s path and can only divert it into his own net. There are no further changes to the scoreline, and at Ucini’s final whistle extra time is guaranteed. After just three minutes the game is shaken up by the sending-off of Grassi. Already on a booking, his late tackle on Gregorio earns him a second yellow card. Despite the numerical disadvantage, it is La Fiorita who threaten next, as a cross from Grandoni causes problems for Semprini. At the end of the first period of extra time, Gjurchinoski comes close to putting Tre Fiori ahead with a superb curling left-footer that Vivan, with the help of the crossbar, tips behind for a corner. Before the final quarter of an hour, Tre Fiori make a double change, introducing Ciccione and Della Valle. It is, however, Adami Martins who goes closest, unleashing a powerful right-footed strike that flies just over Vivan’s bar in the 107th minute. Eight minutes later the Brazilian midfielder releases Gjurchinoski, who volleys after the bounce and sends the ball narrowly wide. Tre Fiori throw everything forward in search of the winner, keen to exploit their extra man in extra time. On 116 minutes Falzetta thunders a shot against the post from twenty metres, and on the rebound Gjurchinoski goes down, but Ucini again sees no foul. As the move continues, the Croatian striker fires over from a promising position. The frustration over the penalty that wasn’t awarded quickly turns to relief two minutes later, when Adami Martins drives into the box and his run is halted by a handball from Vitaioli – a stride inside the area. This time Ucini points to the spot and Gjurchinoski holds his nerve to convert a hugely important last-second penalty, sealing Tre Fiori’s victory in the 120th minute.  

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San Marino Super Cup 2022 | La Fiorita-Tre Fiori 1-1 (1-2 a.e.t.)   LA FIORITA Vivan; Greco, Romagna, Brighi, Grandoni; M. Semprini, Grassi; Pancotti, Lunadei, Vitaioli; Bartolini Substitutes: Venturini, Staiano, Bonifazi, Hoxha, Berardi Coach: Oscar Lasagni   TRE FIORI A. Semprini; Matteoni (from 84' Gregorio), De Lucia, Grani (from 105' Ciccione); Falzetta, Dolcini (from 105' Della Valle), Adami Martins, Rastelli (from 89' Censoni), Martin; Gjurchinoski, Traini (from 61' Bernardi) Substitutes: Castagnoli Coach: Giorgio Leoni (Andy Selva suspended)   Referee: Antonio Ucini Assistant referees: Gianmarco Ercolani and Cristiano Ernesto Fourth official: Giacomo Cenci Scorers: 75' De Lucia, 80' Vitaioli, 120' pen. Gjurchinoski Booked: Grassi, Rastelli, Lunadei, Brighi, Vivan, Bartolini, De Lucia, Traini, Della Valle, Vitaioli, Gjurchinoski Sent off: 93' Grassi (second yellow card)

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