NAT San Marino show grit and character: 1-1 at the death after 97 minutes with ten men

The match between Ptuj and NAT San Marino – the opening fixture in Group 2 of the 2026-27 UEFA Regions’ Cup, at the stage of the Intermediate Round – lasted a full one hundred minutes, with seven and three minutes of added time in the two halves respectively.

Right from kick-off, Bizzotto’s team threaten via the Buda-Badalassi combination: the Virtus forward gets there before the goalkeeper, who lowers his head significantly in a desperate attempt to dive at the opponent’s feet. The collision is inevitable and, for the referee – who already had the yellow card in his hand – it turns into a straight red, to general astonishment. NAT San Marino are down to ten men inside the third minute. Even so, the Biancazzurri look the better side in terms of both endeavour and quality, going close to the lead with Fabbri’s left-footed diagonal effort on 15 minutes. The hosts Ptuj reply with harmless attempts from Krajnc and Blaž Lipavšek, while captain Ciacci – from a Garcia Rufer set piece – once again flirts with a goal. His first-time left-footed volley from a rehearsed move in the 33rd minute is crucially deflected behind for a corner. Less than 200 seconds later, Bernardi wins and takes a free-kick from medium range, which Rogina has covered, even though the ball grazes the top side of the crossbar before dropping behind. In the fifth of the seven minutes added before the interval comes the first top-class save from Guddo – a stunning reflex stop that denies Blaž Lipavšek after his close-range effort at the near post.

The second half is just as intense, as underlined by the eleven yellow cards shown by Vitālijs Spasjoņņikovs over the ninety minutes, in a vain attempt to rein in a match that had probably slipped from his full control after that first, much-debated whistle. All the more so from the 53rd minute, when the referee awards a penalty to Ptuj for a contact involving Ura that was anything but substantial. From the spot, Krajnc opens up his right foot to send Guddo the wrong way and put the home side in front. The Biancazzurri keep their shape and, after a second penalty shout from Kristian Lipavšek – this time waved away – it is the turn of Belward, sent on to change the game. The Pennarossa winger does not disappoint, although Bernardi is first to have the chance to make it 1-1 from a perfect cross by Bottoni – another man coming off the bench. The Tre Fiori striker nips in at the near post ahead of his marker but steers the ball wide from a very inviting position. After an acrobatic effort by Kristian Lipavšek that drifts just wide and a fine save by Guddo from a shot from a tight angle, NAT San Marino finally and deservedly draw level. Belward isolates himself on his preferred right flank to beat a couple of opponents and burst into the penalty area. His low ball across the face of goal takes Rogina out of the equation, leaving Ramšak with no choice but a desperate intervention to deny Sartini a simple tap-in into an empty net. The defender succeeds in getting there before the Cosmos forward, but only to find the wrong side of the scoresheet: on 85 minutes it is 1-1, and that is how it finishes at the final whistle.

In the other match, which kicked off at 15:00, Serbian side Vojvodina swept aside Moldovan representatives Anenii Noi with a 5-0 victory. The standout performer was Adamović, who hit a hat-trick. Trpčević and Krajinović also got on the scoresheet, opening and closing the rout respectively. The teams will be back in action on Sunday for Matchday 2 in Group 2, led by Vojvodina (3 points) ahead of Ptuj and NAT San Marino (1). Anenii Noi (0) are bottom of the group, the next opponents for the Biancazzurri and already with their backs against the wall. Bizzotto’s side will again play at the Metsni Stadion in Ptuj (15:00), where Badalassi will definitely be suspended and no fewer than six players will have to manage a booking away from a ban – the result of the yellow cards shown to them over the afternoon.

UEFA Regions’ Cup, Intermediate Round – MD1 | Ptuj-NAT San Marino 1-1

PTUJ (4-3-3)

Zupanič (9’ Rogina); Voda, Mesarič, Ramšak, Horvat; J. Bojnec, B. Lipavšek, Vidovič (61’ Kerep); K. Lipavšek (80’ Markoli), Fridl (61’ Kenda), Krajnc (80’ M. Bojnec)

Substitutes: Bratec

Coach: Jura Arsić

NAT SAN MARINO (4-2-3-1)

Guddo; Perazzini, Costantini, Ciacci (65’ Bottoni), Fabbri; Ferraro (59’ Belward), Buda (65’ Azzurro), Garcia Rufer (74’ Merli); Bernardi, Badalassi, Ura (74’ Sartini)

Substitutes: Francioni, Quaranta

Coach: Luigi Bizzotto

Referee: Vitālijs Spasjoņņikovs (LVA)

Assistant referees: Andrejs Kolosovs (LVA), Joao Pedro Silva Campos (POR)

Fourth official: Fabio Verissimo (POR)

Scorers: 54' (p) Krajnc, 85' (og) Ramšak

Booked: Krajnc, Mesarič, Perazzini, Merli, K. Lipavšek, B. Lipavšek, Costantini, Sartini, Bottoni, Fabbri, Ramšak

Sent off: Badalassi