A small community that, thanks to the volunteer work of a sports group led by local kids, puts itself at the center of the provincial map for exactly one month, sharing the spotlight with the best tournaments in the area most passionate about summer soccer, Brescia. Yesterday, with the evening dedicated to the finals, the path of the Cignano Night Tournament. From May 29th to June 29th, the Unione Sportiva Cignano organized 17 days of football, entertainment and socializing, making the Offlaga area explode with life.
Go out and meet at the San Filippo Neri oratory, to resume an old tradition. Play began on the natural grass surface of Cignano sixty years ago, when summer events related to football were still in their infancy. Over time he became a reference for Lower Bresciana, then he went through a period of difficulty, being suspended, then, in 2023, US Cignano put him back on his feet. In just two editions the prize money was set at €4,000, which led many top players on the road to Offlaga. Yesterday the parade with the best.
The last act of the evening opens women’s tournamentwhich saw the success of Ciodaneled by the parades of Stella Cancarini and from the goals of the bomber Camilla Roncaon Arizona 66, among whose ranks shone the talent of Veronica Carelli.
The third-fourth place final will start at around 9.30pm. Open tournament. Two local teams on the pitch: Bar Al Palas and Made In Factory/Tab. Pastrengo. Despite showing up with just six players, the Bar Al Palas blue and black team immediately set a frenetic pace to the match. The challenge between Girolamo Volpe and Davide Panina, who marked each other, was beautiful. It was Volpe himself, in the 5th minute, who found the spark that broke the balance: a central cut, an immediate foul, a penalty converted by his teammate Samuel Alinei. With a similar move, Davide Panina immediately equalised, and then scored again in the 14th minute, fed by a low cross from Francesco Bosio. In the two minutes before the break, Bar Al Palas turned things around again: Alessandro Plodari fired a right-footed shot from outside, Armand Amfer kicks a ball into the area which ends up in the bag after a deflection. 3-2.
Atletico defender Offlaga himself opened the second half with a courageous header: it hit the post and scored (shortly before, Volpe’s shot had hit the crossbar). This acceleration between the two times will prove decisive. Made In Factory tries to come back with Matteo Degani’s stone, but Alinei’s shot under the crossbar restores the double advantage; subsequently it was the usual Davide Panina’s turn to give hope of a comeback, sending Simone Bighè into the net, however the comeback was not completed. Indeed, a few seconds from the final whistle Plodari feeds Volpe for the final 6-4, which sends Bar Al Palas onto the podium. Davide Panina will console himself with the title of top scorer, while Sueidi Muca he will be awarded as the best overall goalkeeper.
The final that delivers the trophy is not as close. There is no fault for Verolacase/Dreampool, a distillate of Verolese’s Under 19 team: too strong Vittoria Bar & Cose/Fal. Bolsieri/Cigiesse Bestiame/Vegallarm, a selection that draws heavily from Castellana di Eccellenza. Ready to go and Filippo Faggiano, left winger born in 2006 for the Brescia Primavera, finds a left-footed ground-to-air shot from 25 meters that goes inside seven. Verolacase, who physiologically drinks from the fire hydrant based on experience, centimeters and kilos, tries to put it on intensity, making the challenge very pleasant for observers. It stands out in particular Cristian Gelmini2005 from Verona who has the difficult task of marking Ibou Faye Pape; for a good part of the match he will put out the striker’s powder, using a profession that by his identity card he shouldn’t have.
In the long run, however, Faye Pape made her category count. At the 8th minute she turned in the area passing the ball under Filippo Brunelli’s legs; at the 18th minute she finally managed to move Gelmini with her physique, to unload powerfully into the net. The 3-0 became 4-0 shortly after, with the deflection from close range by Nicola Beccalossi. The second half opens with the inside post hit by the center forward just purchased from Calcio Pavonese, then Mattia Cattaneo calls on Leonardo Bonetti, the 2004 goalkeeper from the Breno school, to make a save. In the 11th minute Faye Pape dresses as an assistman, Hassan Najeh thanks and makes it 5-0. The last gasp came from the young finalists, who were also affected by a bit of bad luck: Edoardo Crimi’s great shot from outside hit the crossbar. The 2024 trophy of the Cignano Tournament deservedly goes to the greens.
At the final whistle it is time for awards, both for teams and individuals. The local administration was also presentrepresented by the Councilor of the Municipality of Offlaga, Angelo Azzini, who did not fail to compliment the organization for the sporting and social contribution that the tournament guarantees to the well-being of the entire community.
The final word on the tournament is Federico ZanettiUS Cignano manager: “For such a young tournament we did not expect these results. The US Cignano group only took over this historic night tournament last year, born in the Sixties, one of the first in the province, but then interrupted for a long time. In this edition we managed to raise the level a bit, both in terms of prize money and players. There was a very good response from the public, who appreciated our proposal both on the tables in the gastronomic area and in the stands overlooking the pitch. Next year we will try to do something moretrying to improve the organizational aspect. I have to thank all the volunteers, about twenty people: it is with their commitment that all this stands up. There are many things to do, we start 6-7 months before, we are a good group”.
OPEN TOURNAMENT SCORESHEETS
Bar Al Palas – Made In Factory/Tab. Pastrengo 6-4 (final 3rd-4th place)
5′ pt rig. Alinei (B), 6′ Davide Panina (M), 14′ Davide Panina (M), 19′ Plodari (B), 20′ Amfer (B); 1′ st Amfer (B), 7′ Degani (M), 8′ Alinei (B), 15′ Bighe (M), 22′ Volpe (B)
BAR AL PALAS: 1 Sueidi Muca; 4 Armand Amfer; 7 Girolamo Volpe, 8 Alessandro Plodari, 11 Paolo Chiara; 10 Samuel Alinei. Managers: Stefano Superti, Alessandro Parenza.
MADE IN FACTORY/TAB. PASTRENGO: 1 Simone Alberti; 16 Cristian Olivetti; 14 Mattia Cani (15 Francesco Bosio), 11 Simone Bighè (17 Nicolò Panina), 10 Davide Panina; 20 Matteo Degani (18 Andrea Bresciani). Manager: Domenico Baldini.
MVP: Armand Amfer (Bar Al Palas).
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Verolacase/Dreampool – Vittoria Bar & Cose/Fal. Bolsieri/Cigiesse Bestiame/Vegallarm 0-5 (final 1st-2nd place)
2′ pt Faggiano, 8′ Faye Pape, 18′ Faye Pape, 19′ Beccalossi; 11′ st Clean
VEROLACASE/DREAMPOOL: 1 Filippo Brunelli; 6 Cristian Gelmini (Cristian Gilberti); 7 Diego Cattaneo, 8 Luigi De Rosa, 2 Pierluigi Prestini (Edoardo Crimi); 10 Mattia Cattaneo. Managers: Salvatore De Rosa, Daniele Appiani.
VITTORIA BAR & COSE/FAL. BOLSIERI/CIGIESSE BESTIAME/VEGALLARM: 1 Leonardo Bonetti; 8 Pietro Maria Pizza (3 Riccardo Pasini); 7 Filippo Faggiano (5 Hassan Najeh), 4 David Thai Ba (6 Luca Aceti), 10 Nicola Beccalossi (9 Francesco Burato); 11 Ibou Faye Pape. Available: 14 Yassin Ejjaki. Managers: Marco Maestri, Samuel Pedrali.
MVP: Ibou Faye Pape (Vittoria Bar & Cose/Fal. Bolsieri/Cigiesse Bestiame/Vegallarm).
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Best Female Goalkeeper: Stella Cancarini (Ciodane).
Women’s tournament top scorer: Camilla Ronca (Ciodane).
Best female tournament player: Veronica Carelli (Arizona 66).
Best Goalkeeper Open Tournament: Suedi Muca (Bar At The Palace).
Open tournament top scorer: Davide Panina (Verolacase/Dreampool).
Best Open Tournament Player: Nicola Beccalossi (Vittoria Bar & Cose/Fal. Bolsieri/Cigiesse Livestock/Vegallarm).
Matteo Carone
