Development Tournament: Andorra claim the final game as San Marino go close

The final day of the UEFA Women’s Under-16 Development Tournament in Strumica saw San Marino and Andorra face off. Head coach Luca Righi was forced to do without Forcellini, sidelined with an adductor injury, while Tani and Andreini gritted their teeth to be in the starting XI.

It is Andreini herself who produces an excellent intervention on 5 minutes, while in the build-up phase the Titane consistently look for Penserini and Castello. Set pieces are the main weapon for the Pyrenean side, and from dead-ball situations they will ultimately make the difference in the scoreline. The first scare for Tani’s goal comes on 10 minutes, when Tesorero rattles the crossbar from the edge of the box and Ambrosio, on the rebound, fails to hit the target. Shortly after the quarter-hour mark, a move down the flank by captain Fernandes leads to a cross that Tesorero turns goalwards – only to find Tani safely behind the ball. Those are the early signs of the breakthrough, which arrives for Andorra on 19 minutes: from a corner, Santaella ghosts in at the far post and finds the net, with the ball going in off the upright. As the minutes tick by, San Marino grow in confidence on the ball, putting the opposition backline under pressure – as shown by the counter-attacks led by Brocculi and Francini midway through the half. Just past the half-hour, Andreini’s match comes to an end: not fully fit, she is forced to raise the white flag. San Marino’s best chance of the first half comes a minute later: Castello intercepts a pass from Vázquez and, staying on her feet under pressure, unleashes a left-footed effort that fails to punish the opposing goalkeeper. The first half ends with a chance at either end: Ambrosio’s header drifts wide, while Ragazzini cannot nip in ahead of Vázquez after an intelligent piece of play from Castello.

On the restart, San Marino look to maintain their game plan of aggression and pressing – but Andorra are ready for it. Catia da Silva’s side put the game firmly in their favour on 48 minutes, doubling the lead with a Tesorero free-kick. Tani then shows sharp reflexes to tip over the bar a close-range effort from Fernandes. The third goal, however, is just around the corner: Tesorero pulls the trigger with her left foot from medium range, picking out the top corner to Tani’s right. The San Marino keeper is powerless again on 62 minutes, when Bos – introduced at half-time – diverts Tesorero’s corner into the net, almost unintentionally. Five minutes later, Tani – who had started despite a painful shoulder – has to come off, with Littera taking over in goal for the closing stages. During that spell the Pyrenean side strike again: Bos makes no mistake from the edge of the area, finding the far post. In between, a promising move from the Biancazzurrine earns a corner, from which Littera goes to attack the ball but cannot make a clean contact. Then, in the 80th minute, Castella combines with Penserini, threading a pass through for Zammarchi, who fires just wide. Righi’s players push hard in search of a deserved consolation goal, putting the Andorran defence under pressure: Cano can breathe a sigh of relief when Penserini’s attempt in the 82nd minute drifts not far from the top corner. Before the final whistle, there is also time for a fine save from Littera on Esteban’s shot.

The UEFA Women’s Under-16 Development Tournament hosted by the Macedonian Football Federation ends with an Andorra victory, an opportunity of vital importance for the young San Marino players to gain experience on the international stage and to lay the foundations for future commitments in their national-team colours.

Under-16 Development Tournament, MD2 | San Marino-Andorra 0-5

SAN MARINO

Tani (68’ Mariotti), Ragazzini (46’ Zammarchi), Andreini (35’ Littera), Cecchetti, Bartoli (74’ Della Valle), Castello, Francini, Brocculi, D’Angeli (74’ Moroni), Bianchi, Penserini

Head coach: Luca Righi

ANDORRA

Vázquez (46’ Cano), Fernandes, Kunz (55’ Neves), Canal (46’ Bos), Miranda (75’ Bozal), Tesorero, Esteban, de Lima (55’ Pereira), Ambrosio (55’ Giménez), Balielles, Santaella

Substitute: Gea

Head coach: Catia da Silva

Referee: Violeta Jancheva

Assistant referees: Cvetanka Saveska and Radmila Nerkova

Fourth official: Jordan Jovanovski

Scorers: 19’ Santaella, 48’ and 59’ Tesorero, 62’ and 86’ Bos