5-a-side football Preview – AF Series, Italian Cup: emotions and entertainment, at the end Bitonto beats Montesilvano 6-5

04/19/2024 10.59pm

A match destined not to be easily forgotten. Nothing was missing from the Coppa Italia semi-final between GTM Montesilvano and Bitonto: play, emotions, strategy, every possible and imaginable ingredient. The reigning champions came out on top, 6-5, thanks to a spell by Lucileia at the end.

Overwhelming start for Bitonto, who immediately dominates the field: all the clashes smile on them and, within a minute, they strike twice. First with Renatinha, who wins the clash with Pato; then with Mansueto, served by Grieco, aided by a not irresistible Dibiase. Montesilvano tries to react, looking too calmly for the most opportune moment to strike; Bitonto, however, is very careful in defense, closing every gap to the Abruzzo offensive. Montesilvano shows up: super opportunity for Manieri, who has to deal with the post with power. At this point, Morgado decides to mix the cards on the table and immediately launches Belli as an outfield goalkeeper: a role that he will play, intermittently, until the end of the half. The move turns out to be clever, and it is the number 9 who closes the gap and reopens the match. The match gradually becomes more balanced, with opportunities on both sides; Marzuoli’s team stops Montesilvano’s incursions, and in the final comes back to worry Dibiase on at least a couple of occasions. At the end of the half, however, it was the Abruzzo team who struck: Belli again a mobile goalkeeper, Belli again lethal in completing a beautiful move from before. Rozo’s post closes a first half of great futsal.

Upon returning from the changing rooms, just 27 seconds pass and Renatinha, with the complicity of a bad mistake by Dibiase, puts Bitonto back in the lead. Montesilvano did not let themselves be discouraged and, driven by Manieri, grinded out the game and created a lot: only an excellent Jozi, twice, denied Rozo the joy of scoring. Bitonto doesn’t fit and, in the first favorable moment, he takes the lead again with Mansueto, whose personal brace makes it 4-2. Morgado therefore returns to resort to the movement goalkeeper, this time played by Bruna Borges. It is also a game of strategy, and Marzuoli’s brilliant counter is the Mansueto power play. The choice rewards him immediately, as the number 12 serves a Lucileia who flies to the right for the very heavy 5-2. Game in the safe? At all. Hope keeps Montesilvano afloat, which with heart and perseverance reopens the game with Manieri and Taty. The match, predictably, turns at this point into a lively collective fight. Three minutes from the end, Rozo devours a goal already scored. The equalizer came anyway: less than a minute before the siren, Manieri made it 5-5. It’s a crazy match and Lucileia, with a lob, with only 34 seconds left, pierces Dibiase and gives Bitonto the final.