PREVIEW - Le Café

Front-runners Dunfermline take on Le Café at their home ground of G.Mora on Sunday night, in the penultimate matchday of the regular season, and having just made sure of their top-two status courtesy of a dramatic away win to Sampierdarena last weekend.

Le Café, on the other hand, incurred a massive 19 point deduction for the unlawful fielding of a player more than a month ago, and they're now sitting 9th after having been in the highest quarters of the league table for most of the season.
Only a victory against Dunfermline - coupled with the inevitable win that'll follow, against Internazionale, who dropped out of the league - will leave the Boschetto based side with a glimmer of hope of making the playoffs, but to do so, Le Café will also have to hope that New Reds don't collect any points from their two remaining fixtures, something that's not too unlikely, though, given the strength in depth of New Reds' opponents in Amici di Berto and Sampierdarena NCLM, sitting 2nd and 3rd respectively, at the moment.

On top of that, Le Café are likely to be without as many as 7 players, which led their manager Mr Natale Cosoleto to file an official request for the game to be re-scheduled. However, such a request was rejected owing to impending duties preventing Dunfermline's board from approving such a request.
When the sides met in reverse fixtures, a match-of-the-season-candidate was sparked, Dunfermline edging their opponents by 6 goals to 5 in a thrilling encounter.
Cantelli opened the score but Le Café found their way back into the game shortly afterwards.
Marletta re-established The Pars' lead from the spot, before a deadly one-two overturned the scoreline to 3-2 Le Café.
Marletta scored again to make it 3-3 but Le Café went in the lead again from a free-kick, before Frassinelli equalised from a corner kick set piece.
A goal-of-the-season-candidate was scored by Marletta to give The Pars the lead at 5-4, before the captain himself took another penalty spot to make it 6-4.
A late goal proved little more than a consolation for a Le Café side, then incurring their second defeat on the spin.
Dunfermline's win contextually gifted Amici di Berto the league top-spot, whilst Dunfermline shrugged Le Café off, by gaining an initial 3 point cuhsion over the Blacks accordingly.

This time out, Dunfermline have reached their regular season target already, although they'll still be chasing certainty of the top-spot over the next two games, but the Fifers will be without influential goalkeeper Marco Semino, otherwise engaged, and midfielder Aldo Marletta, who'll serve a one match ban following his 3rd caution of the season.
Perugini's presence notwithstanding, Semino's absence will give gaffer Vanin a chance to supervise Antonio Minnella, the side's new keeper, who should be permanently signed when a board rep holds talks with AICS, the local FA, Wednesday afternoon.
It is unclear whether Frassinelli will feature, as he may opt for a week off after a tireless season, while both Filippi and Buttitta look certain to be involved.
In midfield, Bovalino and Di Noto are available for selection, whereas there's no news just yet regarding Borreani and Alberga.
Cantelli, just days after notching his 30th goal of a glorious season, will be called upon once again, and is likely to partner up with in-form striker Buccianti upfront.


PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
Le Café 5, Dunfermline 6
Cantelli, Marletta (4), Frassinelli


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