Futsal: San Marino from heaven to hell as Gibraltar come back to win 2-1

This is San Marino’s final, having travelled to Hamburg with the aim of performing well against two superior sides in Montenegro and Germany, and then playing for third place in the group in the decisive clash with Gibraltar. For three quarters of the way, the first target was hit: only the first half against the Germans saw the Titans perform below their potential. Now comes what is seen as a final for both Gibraltar and San Marino: third place in Group A is on the line. That it is a real, hard-fought match is clear from the very first challenges, with Gibraltar – seemingly inferior in terms of technical and tactical quality – often going in hard with their tackles. The first half may be the best ever played by San Marino, who dictate the play and the tempo – suffering little or nothing from the opposition’s efforts and leaving Protti with routine work only. The clean sheet at half-time is no surprise, the third in the last four outings in qualifying for a major tournament. What stands out even more is the character and personality of a team that knows exactly what to do in every area of the pitch and in every game situation. After two off‑target attempts by Belloni and Busignani, the same Sammarinese universal has a go from a free-kick – drawing a save from Moxham. It is the prelude to the opener, which arrives midway through the half: Busignani wins the ball back with high pressure on Castle and is ruthless in front of the Gibraltar goalkeeper, who can only pick the ball out of the net. From unbridled joy to a huge scare: Busignani stays down after the ensuing challenge with the opposing captain, Lopez, and there are fears for his knee. Fortunately it is only a knock, and San Marino’s number 9 is able to return to the pitch – just in time to step up to the second penalty. Gibraltar have reached the five-foul limit shortly after the midway point of the first half, and De Angelis does well to draw a sixth foul: Busignani takes the kick, but is denied by Moxham’s reflexes, the keeper blocking with his foot to prevent the second goal. Shortly afterwards Mattioli is booked for a tactical foul and Osimani begins to sense a dangerous change in attitude among the Titans. The defensive intensity drops and there is too much focus on the foul count – with San Marino also quickly reaching the five-foul limit. The Marche-born head coach’s time-out works like a balm for the closing minutes of the half, in which San Marino risk conceding from a throw-in that, after a deflection by El Andaloussi, comes back off the base of the post. Two refereeing decisions leave the Sammarinese bench perplexed, in particular a handball by Moxham outside his area as he charges into Busignani. Moments later, Belloni gets to the ball before the goalkeeper, leading to a head‑to‑foot collision, and the referees opt for a no-call. There is nothing more of note in the closing stages of a first half that deservedly rewards the Titans, but there is still a whole second period to be played. Gibraltar start it with the same ferocious intensity as always – and this time it pays off. After an overhit free-kick by Fortuna, Bosio powers down the right. The cover comes too late, allowing the winger to fizz the ball across the face of goal where El Andaloussi arrives with perfect timing: a simple side-foot finish from point-blank range and it’s all square again at 1-1 in the 25th minute. It is San Marino’s toughest period, as they struggle to get back into the game – more mentally than technically. Protti urges his team-mates to shake off their fears, while Gibraltar seem able to draw on energy and plays that had not been seen in the previous two and a half matches. Belloni eases the pressure with a right-footed strike from distance in the 26th minute that fails to trouble Moxham and, after a throw-in move involving Busignani, Gibraltar’s onslaught appears to subside. Ten minutes remain to decide the group’s third-placed side: Holgado has the big chance from a Garcia pass, but his back‑heel attempt in front of Protti goes badly wrong. The relentless intensity with which Gibraltar have played all their matches begins to take its toll on Gil Prieto’s men, who are forced to do without Olivero – cramping up. It is worth recalling that Parody, sent off in the 5-0 defeat to Montenegro, is unavailable for this game. San Marino show up down the left channel with a Busignani-Mattioli combination, the latter doing well to hold off his marker before seeing his driven shot-cross deflected. The Titans seem to have regained control of the game’s tempo, raising the defensive intensity and working away at the opposition rearguard: Belloni’s right-foot shot from a throw-in is evidence of this, but his thunderbolt flies over the bar. Gibraltar’s hopes rest almost entirely on finding Bosio, whose best outcomes are shots from positions that pose little danger to Protti. We move into the last five minutes, when small details make the difference – and a lapse in concentration does indeed cost San Marino as Gibraltar complete the comeback. A quickly-taken free-kick from halfway even catches out the TV director, with El Andaloussi tapping in his second on a moment of brilliance from Garcia. San Marino respond through a throw-in routine for Belloni, who forces a fine reaction save from Moxham, and then have to deal with an injury to De Angelis, who stays down for a long time and hobbles off after a heavy stamp from Mkerref – unseen by Austrian referee Wolf. San Marino send on Pasqualini as flying goalkeeper, chasing an equaliser that – thanks to goal difference – would mean third place. Gibraltar slow the Sammarinese momentum with a time-out after a poorly managed power play by Toccaceli, who ends up booked as he tries to regain possession. On the restart, the Titans threaten with Pasqualini – still acting as flying goalkeeper – who gets free on the byline and looks for Zafferani, denied by a crucial interception at the far post. A similar situation arises shortly afterwards, when the Tre Fiori defender is blocked around the penalty spot. Then Mattioli miscontrols the ball twice, almost gifting Bosio a goal into an empty net – the Gibraltar attacker incredibly failing to hit the target. La Fiorita’s winger tries to make amends with a powerful left-foot strike from distance that forces a flying save from Moxham – who is decisive again from the ensuing corner, struck for Busignani’s right foot. The second consecutive corner produces a scramble, the ball flashing just wide and out for a third set-piece as San Marino camp just outside the Gibraltar box. The closing stages are nothing short of frantic as San Marino and Gibraltar head down the home straight, with anything capable of happening at any moment. And it takes a brilliant intervention from Bosio on Busignani’s right-footed effort to deny Pasqualini what would have been a simple tap-in. At the other end, Lopez cushions a difficult ball and shoots at Protti, earning a vital throw-in. That is how it ends, with Gibraltar celebrating and San Marino left to digest a huge and incredibly bitter pill. It is through days like this that a team grows, and the Titans’ overall performances in Hamburg certainly did not represent a step backwards compared to two years ago. Gibraltar finish third in Group A; for San Marino, Busignani’s goal does not translate into points in the table.

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Futsal World Cup 2024 qualifying | Gibraltar 2-1 San Marino   GIBRALTAR Moxham, Castle, Garcia, Lopez, Bosio Substitutes: Nahon, Remorino, Mkerref, Fortuna, El Andaloussi, Holgado, Olivero, Rodriguez Head coach: José Carlos Gil Prieto   SAN MARINO Protti, De Angelis, Mattioli, Busignani, Belloni Substitutes: Cecchetti, Cavalli, Zafferani, Pasqualini, Franciosi, Moretti, Felici, Toccaceli, Cecchini Head coach: Roberto Osimani   Referee 1: Ugur Cakmak (TUR) Referee 2: Manuel Wolf (AUT) Referee 3: Lars Van Leeuwen (NED) Timekeeper: Omar Amarkhel (GER) Scorers: 10:31 Busignani, 24:27, 35:05 El Andaloussi Booked: Mkerref, Mattioli, Toccaceli Note: Moxham saves a second penalty from Busignani at 14:03

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