Under 12: Cailungo Azzurro crowned 2026 spring champions

Cailungo Azzurro have been crowned winners of the spring phase of the San Marino Under-12 Championship for the 2025-26 season. The boys coached by Gabriele Celli lifted the trophy to the sky at the San Marino Stadium, receiving it from the hands of FSGC Vice-President, Simone Grana.

The match was unlocked immediately thanks to a piece of play from Marcattili, also on target in the autumn final – which at the time, however, ended in favour of the side representing Serravalle Football Academy. This time the script was different, because the goal from an Esposito assist helped steer the trophy towards Cailungo. The Gialloblù threatened mainly through Khalifa and Zanotti, but Tiribilli was assured between the posts, preserving the 1-0 scoreline through the opening eighteen minutes. Thus, after a first period edged by Cailungo Azzurro, the following two periods finished goalless. Chances, nonetheless, were not in short supply: Carrara went close three times to restoring parity in the second stanza, while Cailungo Azzurro relied above all on the inspired form of the ever-dangerous Marcattili, who tried his luck from every angle. The number seven himself opened the key passages of the third period – which still ended 0-0, thanks also to some excellent saves from Tiribilli. At the other end, good opportunities fell to Bollini and Esposito, who were only narrowly off target in front of Mascella – decisive in the closing stages of the period with a crucial stop from a venomous Ingrassia free-kick. At the dawn of the fourth period, given the better placing achieved by the Rossoverdi in the regular season, Juvenes Dogana had no choice but to win by at least two clear goals if they were to overturn the goal difference in the final after an overall draw. Dario Sartori’s players left every last drop of sweat on the pitch in pursuit of a remarkable comeback, which sparked into life just a few minutes after the restart. In the 57th minute, in fact, Gabriel Fantini, after a fine move involving Bonomo, put the Gialloblù in front – leaving them just one goal away from retaining the trophy they had won in December. When Ingrassia’s free-kick crashed off the crossbar, the Rossoverdi must have felt the spectre of a cruel twist. In reality, Celli’s boys defended with discipline and effectiveness, and in the final minutes they went closer to scoring than their opponents. The Serravalle side ultimately had to reckon with Cailungo Azzurro’s sheer desire to win, as the latter allowed no further celebrations for their rivals and successfully saw out a perfectly balanced draw (3-3 overall, with period scores of 0-1, 0-0, 0-0, 1-0) which restored the Rossoverdi youth sector to the roll of honour of the San Marino Under-12 Championship. During the awards ceremony, Juvenes Dogana showed great sportsmanship, forming a pasillo de honor for the new champions in the category, who duly take up the baton from the very opponents they had just faced.

The theme of fair play is a constant feature of grassroots youth football activity in San Marino and, at Under-12 level, two new awards were introduced this year for coaches and groups of supporters from the various hubs – made up, as you would expect, of the boys’ and girls’ parents. The traditional prize for the player who stood out for sportsmanship and acts of fair play over the course of the spring tournament went to Mattia Gorini (Tre Fiori/Virtus, for Titano Academy), while the team that consistently involved the highest number of players – and was thus deemed worthy of the dedicated award – was the beaten finalist, Juvenes Dogana themselves. The first names to appear on the list of the two newly introduced awards mentioned above were: Gian Luca Borgagni (Faetano/Libertas, for Scuola Calcio Serenissima) and the group of parents and fans following San Marino Academy Women.

In the ninety minutes leading up to the grand final, all the teams entered in the White Group and the Blue Group of the San Marino Under-12 Championship – with the exception of Juvenes Dogana and Cailungo Azzurro, for obvious reasons – enjoyed an afternoon of sport and fun under the eyes of parents and friends. On the mini-pitches set up by the coaches and educators from the hubs and the FSGC Grassroots Area, every player and every team took part before settling in to watch the match that would decide the trophy and medals.

San Marino U12 Championship, 2025-26 spring final | Juvenes Dogana-Cailungo 3-3 (0-1, 0-0, 0-0, 1-0)

JUVENES DOGANA

Mascella, Bernardi, Volpinari, Zanotti, Fantini, Redondi, Frisoni, Bonomo, Khalifa, Albani, Carrara

Coach: Dario Sartori

CAILUNGO AZZURRO

Tiribilli, Bianchi, Cervellini, Esposito, Guerra, Marcattili, Giancecchi, De Scisciolo, Ingrassia, Bollini, Stradaioli

Coach: Gabriele Celli

Referee: Michele Giagnorio

Assistant referees: Sean Berardinelli, Mattia Mazza

Scorers: 2’ Marcattili, 57’ Fantini