How Fifa’s lowest-ranked nation finally secured their first competitive win
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This shows how much San Marino fans have suffered over the years, waiting patiently for their team to achieve success. The player who scored the winning goal on Thursday night was not even born the last time San Marino won an international match. Nicko Sensoli, a 19-year-old player, scored the winning goal against Liechtenstein, ending the team's long streak without a win. It had been two decades and 140 games since San Marino had beaten another small country, but they were finally able to celebrate a victory.
Sensoli’s goal was not fancy, but the crowd at the Stadio Olimpico di Serravalle didn't mind. A pass aimed at goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel was accidentally deflected by a Liechtenstein player, putting it close enough for the San Marino teenager to poke it in. The simple goal was celebrated enthusiastically by the fans.
San Marino is a small country located in southern Europe, nestled between the Appennine Mountains and the Adriatic coast. The country's football team began playing official matches in 1990, but they have yet to qualify for major tournaments like the World Cup or Euros. However, they recently achieved their first win in competitive football during the Nations League Group D1 matches.
Comprised mainly of inexperienced players from a group of 33,000 people, la Serenissima has spent the majority of the past three decades at the lowest end of Fifa's rankings. A goalless draw against Estonia in Euro 2016 qualifiers, following a staggering 61 consecutive losses, provided a brief moment of success for them. During that qualifying phase, they also achieved their first away goal in 14 years against Lithuania.
San Marino has played 206 games and lost most of them, often by large margins. In November 2021, England beat them 10-0, and Germany's biggest win was a 13-0 victory 15 years ago.
In the past few years, there have been positive developments in international football, thanks to the creation of the Nations League. This new competition by Uefa gives teams the chance to play against opponents of similar skill levels, helping them to improve their teamwork and morale instead of constantly losing by large margins. In the latest edition of the tournament, San Marino's matches against Liechtenstein and Gibraltar resulted in them earning more than just one point for the first time.
In October 2023, a talented Denmark team led by players like Christian Eriksen, Kasper Schmeichel, and Rasmus Hojlund had a tough match in Serravalle. They needed a last-minute goal from Yussuf Poulsen to win 2-1. Roberto Cevoli, originally from Rimini but now a citizen of the nearby country, became the team's manager last December. In his second game in charge, he led the team to a draw against St. Kitts and Nevis in March.
However, the victory against Liechtenstein could represent a major advancement. Even though experienced players like captain Matteo Vitaioli are still on the team, there is a group of promising young players in Cevoli's lineup. Sensoli, who scored the goal, gained experience last season while on loan in the fourth division of Italy at just 18 years old. Additionally, the Benevenuti twins, Giacomo and Tommaso, are progressing through the youth system at Sassuolo.
The upcoming schedule of games until the end of the year is not very challenging: matches against Moldova, Gibraltar, Andorra, Gibraltar again, and a second match against Liechtenstein. There is a possibility of achieving more success in these matches.
