Conference League: Manfroni scores, Nardi saves. Tre Fiori defeat Pyunik

Tre Fiori have done it again. After the wins over Fola Esch (2022) and Bala Town (2018), the yellow-and-blues pull off another feat by taking another European scalp. In last night’s clash at the San Marino Stadium – valid for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League – Danilo Girolomoni’s side prevailed 1-0 over Armenian outfit Pyunik thanks to a brilliant goal from Matteo Manfroni on the hour mark. Then it was up to a Superman-like Nardi to keep the Gialloblu goal intact and seal a precious victory.

The visitors – who had already played on the Titano in 2015 against Folgore – started on the front foot, with an inspired Yusuf Otubanjo frightening Nardi twice with excellent efforts in the opening quarter of an hour. Pyunik kept pushing and, on the half-hour mark, went agonisingly close to taking the lead when Metoyan’s header crashed off the crossbar. Tre Fiori were on the ropes and five minutes later Otubanjo popped up again, winning a rebound and finding himself with a great chance on his right foot, but the number 14’s shot from inside the area was kept out by Nardi’s first big save of the evening. Once the storm had passed, Tre Fiori reacted and created their first clear-cut chance on 38 minutes: Benedettini reached the by-line and delivered an excellent ball across for Mario Ferri, who attacked the near post superbly and turned it goalwards, only to be denied by a decisive stop from Avagyan. The deadlock remained unbroken through to half-time and beyond. The decisive moment of the match arrived on 63 minutes: Dolcini played vertically into Prandelli, who with his first touch tried to pick out Manfroni on the edge of the box. The yellow-and-blue midfielder controlled and then unleashed a powerful, precise right-footed strike that flew into a spot Avagyan could not reach. Pyunik understandably threw men forward in search of an equaliser, opening up spaces for Tre Fiori on the counter-attack. On 85 minutes, the Armenians had another chance, with Nardi once again stretching superbly to keep out Vakulenko (who was then flagged offside), before a lung-busting run from an exhausted Prandelli just before the 90th minute ended with him unable to pick out a team-mate after reaching the by-line. That took the game into stoppage time – with seven minutes added on. On 90+2 minutes, Pyunik came within centimetres of an equaliser with another effort against the woodwork: this time it was the outside of the post that came to Nardi’s aid after a trademark header from Otubanjo, once again the Armenians’ standout performer. The minutes ticked away but the Armenian onslaught did not relent. Just a minute after hitting the post, it was again Otubanjo posing the biggest threat, his right-footed effort from close range once more repelled by a magnificent Nardi. Tre Fiori held firm until the final whistle and could celebrate together with the whole Stadium. Now they head to Armenia – with the second leg scheduled for Thursday 17 at 18:00 – clearly aiming to reach Q2 and write another chapter of Sammarinese football history in European competition.

While Tre Fiori enjoyed a dream night, the same cannot be said for La Fiorita – who were also involved in the first qualifying round of the Conference League. Stefano Ceci’s Gialloblu travelled to Skopje (North Macedonia), to the “National Arena Todor Proeski” for their meeting with hosts Vardar. The Montegiardino side produced a disciplined first half which ended in a very creditable 0-0 – thanks also to several saves from Matteo Zavoli. However, the Sammarinese goalkeeper had to bow early in the second half to Omeragikj’s goal, which broke the deadlock. The strike energised the home side, who in the space of two minutes – between the 66th and 68th minutes – killed off the match and very likely the tie: first came Drudi’s unfortunate own goal, then Mato’s right-footed effort from outside the area to make it 3-0. The return leg will be played in less than a week’s time – on Thursday 17 at the Stadium.

UEFA Conference League 2025-26, First Qualifying Round | Tre Fiori – Pyunik 1-0

TRE FIORI (3-5-2)

Nardi; Matteoni (61’ Pini), Rea, Sirri; Manfroni (75’ Guerra), Benedettini, Censoni (87’ Ciccione), Dolcini, Vandi (87’ Boldini); Prandelli, Ferri (46’ Braschi)

Substitutes: Berardi, Castagnoli, Rastelli

Coach: Danilo Girolomoni

PYUNIK (4-3-3)

Avagyan; Alemão, Vakulenko, Filipe Almeida, Miljković (68’ Javi Moreno); Kulikov (68’ Agbalian), Otubanjo, Islamovic; Tarakhchyan (68’ Kainourgios), Metoyan (73’ Noubissi), Vagner Gonçalves (81’ Malakyan

Substitutes: Buchnev, Udo, Vareika, Bopesu, Kovalenko, Galstyan

Coach: Iegishe Melikian

Referee: Igor Bosca (MDA)

Assistants: Vadim Vicol (MDA), Victor Luchita (MDA)

Fourth official: Dumitri Muntean (MDA)

Scorer: 63’ Manfroni

Booked: Prandelli, Metoyan, Manfroni, Ferri, Pini, Malakyan

Attendance: 305

UEFA Conference League 2025-26, First Qualifying Round | Vardar – La Fiorita 3-0

VARDAR (4-3-3)

Taleski; Jankulov, Matić, Miskovski, Manevski; Bosančić, Olaosebikan (46’ Castenada), Todorovski (66’ Dongmo); Zakarić, Omeragikj, Spahiu (46’ Mato)

Substitutes: Velkovski, Najdovski, Danev, Talevski, Nikolovski, Duranski, Cuestas, Faustin

Coach: Goce Sedloski

LA FIORITA (3-5-2)

Zavoli; Mazzotti, Drudi, Grandoni; Musiani, Lunadei (61’ Semprini), Cicarelli (86’ Prasso), Zaccaria, Riccardi (86’; Affonso (61’ Baldinini), Vivacqua (72’ Guidi)

Substitutes: Vivan, Spadaccino, Cerchiaro, Toccaceli

Coach: Stefano Ceci

Referee: Antoine Chiaramonti (AND)

Assistants: Juan Guiu Serra (AND), Carlos Gonçalves (AND)

Fourth official: Andreu Simarro (AND)

Scorers: 47’ Omeragikj, 66’ og Drudi, 68’ Mato

Booked: Musiani, Bosančić

Attendance: 3,500