Development Tournament: Andorra-San Marino 2-1, Stefani scores temporary equaliser

Positive start from the San Marino Under-16 National Team in their final outing at the age-group Development Tournament held in Albania. Their opponents were Andorra, who had stunned the hosts in their opening match. The game settled into a pattern of general balance, which San Marino tried to disrupt with a couple of corners that caused some concern for their Pyrenean peers, let off when Bucchi fired over on 14 minutes. Andorra replied in the same way, sending Gracia over to the corner flag: from the resulting play, Cerqueda set up a shot that flew over Bucci’s crossbar. Before the half-hour mark Barral also tried his luck without success, while in the scramble from a late-corner action in the first half, the San Marino goalkeeper found the ball in his hands after Huguet’s attempt. Andorra, however, had the merit of going into the break ahead: on 43 minutes Cerqueda started a vertical move that released Barral in the box, and the winger delivered a clinical left-footed diagonal for the 1-0 to José Salvador’s side.

In the second half Andorra pushed to score a comfort goal, but Foubert failed to hit the target with his header. The Little Blues responded through the Bucchi-Ciacci combination, but the move was cut out by an excellent intervention from the Andorran back line. Valentini drove San Marino’s attacking efforts, yet Bonesso’s players struggled to carve out clear shooting chances. The intensity remained high and on 55 minutes the equaliser seemed inevitable: Terni flicked on with his head for Ciacci’s effort from the heart of the area, but the ball shaved the upright and went wide. The goal was in the air and duly arrived on 67 minutes, once again from a set piece: Monaldi picked out Pala in the box, Alaña saved the first effort but could do nothing about the tap-in from captain Stefani, who made it 1-1.

Brief joy for the Titani, who were left bitter just four minutes later. Andorra struck from a corner through the Huguet-Sola combination to restore their lead. San Marino poured forward in the closing stages, winning several free-kicks to swing into the opposition area, but the Andorran defence stood firm. In the very final minutes, with the Little Blues stretched in search of a second equaliser, the Pyreneans threatened Bucci’s goal again with Subiros, who twice failed to get the better of the San Marino keeper. At Perja’s final whistle, the result rewards Andorra with a 2-1 victory.

UEFA Under-16 Development Tournament, Matchday 3 | Andorra-San Marino 2-1  

ANDORRA Alaña, Foubert, Cerqueda, Haddad (35’ Sola), Guma (55’ Reinoso), Gracia (68’ Escabias), Fernandez, Barral, Sonejee (46’ Gonzalez), Huguet, Vazquez (46’ Subiros)

Substitutes: Permuny

Head coach: José Salvador  

SAN MARINO Bucci, Sammaritani (53’ Battazza), Terni, Cervellini (65’ Raschi), Stefani, Valentini (65’ Aureli), Bucchi (87’ Zavoli), Montebelli (65’ Cika), Ciacci (65’ Monaldi), Balsimelli (53’ Pala), Montali (53’ Muccioli)

Substitutes: Sami

Head coach: Alessandro Loris Bonesso  

Referee: Herald Perja

Assistant referees: Reajd Gashi, Daniel Cenka

Fourth official: Saed Kazazi

Scorers: 43’ Barral, 67’ Stefani, 71’ Sola

Booked: Montali, Gracia