# When a Perfect First Half Writes History: Inside Biellese’s U16 Triumph

**By Amelie Fontaine**  \nPublished August 4, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> Under the blistering Orbassano heat, Biellese's meticulous first-half execution laid the foundation for a hard-fought U16 Top Tournament Finals triumph over CBS.

When the whistle blew under the searing Orbassano heat on May 23, 2026, the Top Tournament Finals U16 championship match hinged on a razor-thin tactical balance. On one side stood Biellese, engineered by coach Fasana into a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation anchored by captain Lunardon. Opposite them sat CBS, deploying a 4-3-1-2 setup relying on the creative spark of Belmonte behind a physical forward pairing of Destefanis and Libraro. What followed was a masterclass in first-half control that ultimately defined the silverware.

For the opening quarter-hour, both sides traded probing blows without breaking structure. CBS sought out Destefanis through direct aerial and physical routes, while Biellese goalkeeper Zambito comfortably gathered weak, central distance efforts from Belmonte and Tealdo. Yet, the tactical momentum shifted decisively as Fasana’s advanced trio—Sasso, Ciancio, and Panizza—began fluidly interchanging positions to fracture the CBS defensive block.

The structural chasm widened as the half wore on. Fea and Zanfino, tasked with policing Biellese target man Friddini, found themselves pinned deep and forced into exhausting physical duels. The pressure yielded immediate dividends:

- **19th Minute:** Ciancio whipped in a dangerous cross that nearly found Friddini, allowing Chinea to bundle home at the back post, though an offside flag correctly intervened.
- **31st Minute:** The breakthrough arrived through pure individual brilliance. Ciancio unleashed a powerful surge down the right flank, cut hard into the box, and drilled a low cross for the on-rushing Sasso, whose finish took a decisive deflection to beat goalkeeper La Fata.
- **Late First-Half Waves:** Biellese continually threatened to double their lead before the break, highlighted by a tight offside call against Friddini and a clean strike that rattled the upright in the 42nd minute following a long ball from Lorenzo Mosca.Faced with a 1-0 deficit, CBS altered their defensive posture after the interval. Energized by the tactical introduction of Pasquale on the left, the Rossoneri emerged with heightened aggression. Pasquale immediately forced a foul from Cirio, giving Zanfino a prime free-kick opportunity that whistled narrowly wide. Beyond that solitary set-piece threat, however, Biellese erected an impenetrable defensive wall.

As the match wore down and fatigue set in, tactical discipline gave way to transitional chaos. Biellese squandered several numerical advantages on the counter-attack to seal the contest, while CBS dominated possession without finding a precise final delivery. A late stoppage-time scare—where Granvillano lifted a audacious long-range effort onto the top netting—was as close as the red-and-blacks came before the referee brought an end to an 80-minute battle.

**Tactical Takeaway:** The final underscored the primacy of positional fluidity in youth tournament finals. By refusing to stay static, Biellese's attacking midfield trio systematically dismantled a rigid CBS central defense before shutting down the corridors entirely in the second stanza.

## Sources

- [newsbiella.it](https://www.newsbiella.it/2026/07/01/leggi-notizia/argomenti/pallavolo/articolo/scuola-pallavolo-biellese-il-primo-volto-nuovo-e-tommaso-falorni.html) — original
- [Luca Mereu](https://giocaacalcio.it/index.php/esordienti/top-tournament-finals-u16-la-finale-bicb) — original
- [Marcus91 

				 01-06-2017 13:09](https://www.livetennis.it/post/271366/4-torneo-internazionale-citta-di-biella-under-16-il-resoconto-di-giornata-grande-exploit-per-il-talento-di-dasa-gabriele-felline-che-approda-ai-quarti/) — original
- [Redazione Sport](https://www.ilbiellese.it/stories/sport/altri-sport/allo-skiteamvalsesia-il-trofeo-ford-nuova-assauto-o_108917_80/) — original
- [Eventi e News](https://www.eventi.news/calcio-lomaggio-del-comune-a-graziano-falla-trella-per-30-anni-presidente-delle-torri-biellesi) — original