Estonia-San Marino 2-0: set pieces and goal-line clearance reward the Baltic side

Matteo Vitaioli collects cap no. 74 of his National Team adventure: from this evening, he is the new all-time appearance leader for the Titans, edging ahead of Andy Selva. Estonia and San Marino meet again seven years on from their last encounter: a draw and a defeat for the Biancazzurri in the Euro 2016 qualifying double-header. Things have moved on, especially for the Baltic side – who most recently featured in Nations League League C, before slipping up in March in the play-out with Cyprus. Costantini makes his Nations League debut with a back three, supported out wide by Zafferani and Grandoni. Up front, alongside captain Vitaioli, is Nicola Nanni. The hosts threaten in the opening minutes, with a Sinyavskiy cross turned behind for a corner by Fabbri. From the flag, a goalmouth scramble almost favours an Estonian player who had slipped in the middle of the box, but the defence eventually clears amid the pinball. Estonia are tasked with building the play, not entirely comfortable with constant possession: unsurprisingly, Häberli’s men are far more dangerous from dead balls. As on 18 minutes, when Vassiljev’s corner flashes right across the area. San Marino show for the first time a minute later, through an excellent interception by Alessandro Golinucci, who wins the ball in the opposition half and exchanges passes with Nanni, only to misjudge the weight of the final ball. On 20 minutes Manuel Battistini pulls up and hobbles off, helped from the field by the National Team’s medical staff. On in a hurry comes D’Addario, deployed on the right of the back three. Shortly afterwards Estonia take the lead, inevitably from a set piece: Vassiljev picks out Käit at the far post, who nods it back across for Kirss. Left-footed first-time finish and Elia Benedettini is beaten from the heart of the penalty area. San Marino reply on 27 minutes, with Fabbri driving forward and crossing for Nanni from inside the box: neat control and left-footed strike from the Lucchese forward, who sends a good chance over the bar. At the other end, Vassiljev tries his luck, but his volley from the edge is wayward. Just before the half-hour Michael Battistini lets fly from distance after winning the ball high up, but fails to hit the target. On 31 minutes Estonia are dangerous again from a wide free-kick, which Vassiljev delivers onto Tamm’s head: Elia Benedettini produces an outstanding save. From the ensuing spell of possession the centre-back stays upfield, and, meeting Sinyavskiy’s cross from the left, times his run better than the defence and finds the net at the near post for 2-0. It’s a difficult spell for the Titans, who are almost punished by a low drive from Kirss in the middle of the area, before appealing for a penalty after Zenjov’s challenge on Grandoni – picked out in the box by Nanni. Estonia take a 2-0 lead into the break, both goals coming from dead-ball situations. At the start of the second half it is San Marino who threaten, winning a corner from which Palazzi heads just wide. At the other end, Käit unleashes a powerful right-footed effort from the edge of the box which drifts just off target. A few minutes later, a prolonged move around the area creates space for Vassiljev, who forces Benedettini into a save with his feet. The Cesena keeper would then have stood little chance against a slick one-touch move starting from a Vassiljev long ball and leading to Sinyavskiy’s first-time cross: Kirss, free in the middle of the area, fails to make contact for what would have been a tap-in. Costantini looks for fresh legs and makes a triple substitution, sending on Rinaldi, Hirsch and Cevoli in one go to change the wide men, push D’Addario to the flank, and play with two physical forwards close together. Hirsch shows up on 70 minutes, running onto a ball over the top from Palazzi and beating the newly introduced Paskotsi to it with a header. However, the Tottenham-owned full-back recovers on the chase and plays it back to Hein. A minute later it’s Alessandro Golinucci’s turn, latching onto a loose ball in a central area and unleashing a right-footed strike from 25 metres: the home goalkeeper is well positioned. San Marino finish strongly. On 75 minutes Nanni goes down under yet another robust challenge from the home defenders. The youngster soon gets back to his feet, reassuring everyone about his ability to finish the match. There is a scare in the Estonian box a minute later, when Hein spills a routine ball that almost drops invitingly for Cevoli – denied at the last moment with the goal gaping. The closing stages seem to favour San Marino, who combine on the edge of the box through Hirsch and Nanni, working the opening for Palazzi’s deflected right-footed effort that Hein smothers on the ground. The Titans come within a whisker of scoring on 81 minutes, when Nanni switches play for the run of Hirsch, who races in on Hein and rounds the keeper before going for goal with his left foot. Tamm’s last-ditch clearance on the line proves crucial, just as a goal seemed certain. The Estonian backline wobbles in a finale where San Marino look capable of striking at any moment, but the decisive blow remains out of reach for Costantini’s men. What remains is an excellent second half from San Marino, making amends for the two set-piece situations in the first period that effectively turned the match, and for Tamm’s incredible on-the-line intervention. Sliding doors in a game of two halves, ultimately rewarding the hosts.  

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UNL 2022-23, Matchday 1 | Estonia-San Marino 2-0   ESTONIA (5-3-2) Hein; Zenjov (from 85' Teniste), Kuusk (from 69' Paskotsi), Tamm, Mets, Sinyavskiy; Käit, Kreida (from 46' Miller), Vassiljev (from 85' S. Puri); Sorga (from 69' Anier), Kirss Substitutes: Igonen, Vallner, Pikk, Lukka, Soomets, Peetson, Pürg Coach: Thomas Häberli   SAN MARINO (3-5-1-1) E. Benedettini; Ma. Battistini (from 21' D'Addario), Palazzi, Fabbri; Zafferani (from 56' Hirsch), A. Golinucci (from 89' D. Tomassini), Mi. Battistini, Mularoni, Grandoni (from 56' Rinaldi); Vitaioli (from 56' Cevoli); Nanni Substitutes: A. Simoncini, S. Benedettini, Bernardi, F. Tomassini, Censoni, Cesarini, Lunadei Coach: Fabrizio Costantini   Referee: Ioannis Papadopoulos (GRE) Assistants: Konstantinos Nikolaidis (GRE) and Vasileios Nikolakakis (GRE) Fourth official: Athanasios Tzilos (GRE) VAR: Agelos Evangelou (GRE) AVAR: Efstathios Gkortsilas (GRE) Scorers: 24' Kirss, 32' Tamm Booked: A. Golinucci, Mularoni Attendance: 3,533

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