January Cup, futsal national team shines on debut: 5-3 against Switzerland

San Marino’s futsal national team kicked off their Futsal January Cup campaign in Albona with a thrilling victory. Roberto Osimani’s side defeated Switzerland 5-3, booking a place in the semi-finals which, for the Titano outfit, means getting back on court this afternoon (18:15) against Morocco – a team that in the last World Cup only went out in the quarter-finals, beaten by the Brazil side that would go on to lift the title. It takes Busignani just over a minute of actual play to beat Swiss goalkeeper Aranya, who doesn’t set up his wall perfectly on a free kick from the touchline. The Biancoazzurri captain spots a gap and finds it with surgical precision: the ball hits the near post and rolls into the net to give the Titani the lead. The Titani also make the most of this blistering start to execute their game plan to perfection. That plan is based above all on battling for second balls, conceding initiative to Switzerland but giving up very little thanks to San Marino’s excellent defensive application. However, just past the 15-minute mark, the Swiss level through Jaggi, who gets away down the flank from Busignani (unable to fully commit to the challenge, as San Marino have already used up their foul bonus) and then slots the ball between Protti’s legs. Yet the blow is not enough to unsettle the San Marino side. They in fact need barely an instant to restore their lead. The move starts directly from Protti’s hands; De Angelis does a perfect job as pivot and lays the ball off to the onrushing Maiani, who wins a ricochet and then, with the tip of his foot, finds a scruffy but effective way to outfox Aranya. Switzerland try to respond but are forced to concede again before the half-time buzzer. From the central position, Busignani skips past Markoyannakis and then threads a pass through for Moretti, who shrugs off Kägi’s pressure before coolly winning the one-on-one with Aranya.

After the restart, Switzerland look to raise the tempo. As a result, San Marino’s defensive phase comes under much sterner pressure, but it holds firm with great discipline and quality. And that does not mean the Titani lose their edge going forward. Quite the opposite: after just over 7 minutes De Angelis makes it 4-1, capitalising on a terrible mix-up between Xhemajili and Köppel, who collide with each other and leave a clear path for the Biancoazzurro number 16. The same Xhemajili partially makes amends by supplying the assist for Markoyannakis’ 4-2, doing brilliantly to adjust his body for a first-time finish on his team-mate’s long ball and beating Protti from close range. It is an episode Switzerland hope to use to light up the final 7 minutes. But Mićo Martić’s side see their plans take a serious hit when De Angelis nets his brace, easily turning in a perfect ball from Ceccoli at the end of a textbook move to break the press. Switzerland refuse to give up and immediately pull one back through Lanzendorfer (a left-footed low drive following a kick-in), but they are unable to find any further way to prise open San Marino’s defensive set-up. Thanks to this opening win, the Titani earn themselves a semi-final of unquestionable prestige.

Futsal Week January Cup, DAY 1 | Switzerland – San Marino 3-5

SWITZERLAND

Aranya, Kägi, Marcoyannakis, Lanzendorfer, Xhemajili

Substitutes: Köppel, Garcia, Matos, Arpagaus, Buckson, Bytyqi, Gonzalez, Jaggi, Valentim

Head coach: Mićo Martić

SAN MARINO

Protti, Maiani, Verri, Busignani, Moretti

Substitutes: Pazzini, Ceccoli, Cecchini, Gamba, Chezzi, Cola, Belloni, De Angelis

Head coach: Roberto Osimani

Referee 1: Semir Keserović

Referee 2: Noa Mečić

Referee 3: Simon Matej Podgoršek

Booked: Moretti, Toccaceli

Scorers: 1:03 Busignani, 15:38 Jaggi, 16:20 Maiani, 18:39 Moretti, 27:17 and 35:25 De Angelis, 33:08 Marcoyannakis, 36:17 Lanzendorfer