Disappointed faces at FC Obermais: The start of the year brought nothing tangible for coach Flavio Toccoli and his team. © P. Schwienbacher

No points to start the year: Things are getting bleaker for Obermais

Things are looking bleak for FC Obermais. The Merano-based team lost their first match of the second half of the season against Este on Sunday and remain deep in the relegation zone.

04 January 2026

From: cst

Without the sidelined Michael Seaton (the Jamaican is still without a new club), but with nine South Tyroleans in the starting eleven, Obermais went into their first match of 2025. The only Serie D club in the region had trained intensively in recent days, including two sessions on the artificial turf pitch in Sinich. The home game against Este was being played in the southern part of Merano, as the grass pitch at their home ground, the Lahn, was unplayable.

The home game in Sinich not only caused long lines of cars in the former industrial center, but also quickly led to long faces among the Obermais players. After just eleven minutes, Este's center-back Gabriele Dalla Bernardina converted a penalty – 0-1 for the visitors. It wasn't the only goal before halftime, as 19-year-old Edoardo Caporello made it 0-2 after 35 minutes.

Brusco scores from eleven meters

FCO coach Flavio Toccoli fielded Ritten's Simon Larcher on the wing, giving him his Serie D starting debut. Captain Martin Ciaghi was also given a starting opportunity in midfield. Furthermore, key players Manuel Brusco (striker) and Alex Debiasi (centre defender) were fit again.

It was the Trentino striker who managed to reduce the deficit with a penalty in the final stages (80th minute). But it was to no avail, as Este had already made it 0-3 shortly after the break.

Serie D, Group C: Sunday's results

Obermais - Este 1:3
0:1 Dalla Bernardina (11th/penalty), 0:2 Caporello (35th), 0:3 Cogo (53rd), 1:3 Brusco (87th/penalty)

Altavilla – Vigasio 1:1
Brian Lignano – Calvi Noale 2-0
Cjarlins Muzane – Conegliano 1-0
Luparense – Adriese 4:0
San Luigi – Mestre 1:3
Treviso – Portogruaro 4:0
Clodiense – Campodarsego 0-0
Legnago – Bassano (Tuesday, 2:30 pm)