National Team: Albania score three, superb Sherri denies Nanni

Albania stay perfect in the group thanks to a 3-0 win over the Titano. Two goals arrive in the first half, one after the restart, when Nanni comes close to getting on the scoresheet in what would have been a deserved goal given San Marino’s attitude on the night. Standing between the Biancazzurri centre-forward and his sixth international goal is Cagliari’s Sherri, who conjures up a truly sensational save. Applause rains down from practically all of the more than 3,400 fans packed into the Stadium, the vast majority backing the red and blacks. Compared to Saturday there are seven changes in San Marino’s starting XI. One of them concerns Gabriel Capicchioni, who celebrates a milestone: ten caps.

Roberto Cevoli had asked for more courage compared to the Finland match and the way the Titans start is fully in line with the coach’s instructions. The home side immediately pour forward, mainly attacking down the left. It’s from there that Pancotti produces a fine move, capped by a cross that however comes to nothing. Albania are not unsettled by this flying start from the Biancazzurri. On the contrary, they quickly seize control of proceedings, looking for the best combinations between their four forwards, supported by both full-backs and both holding midfielders, who are almost permanently camped in the final third. But Cevoli’s team do their best not to be pinned back: they push up, both with high pressing and on the break, as when the two Capicchioni exchange a wide one-two and Gabriel, almost caught by Mitaj, is forced into a rushed finish that flies off target. By then Albania had produced only one shot on target, but a dangerous one: Muçi found space well between the lines and unleashed a powerful left-footer that was tipped away at full stretch by Colombo. A few minutes after the Capicchioni counter, Muçi drives into the box from the right and shoots across goal, just missing the far post. Now the Eagles’ pressure grows. Just after the quarter-hour, Asllani turns on the edge of the box and lets fly with a left-footed strike that has part of the crowd shouting for goal, but the ball shaves the post to Colombo’s left. The home keeper is called into a double save on 20 minutes: first from Shehu, aiming for the bottom corner from outside the box, and then again from Manaj, who pounces like a hawk on the rebound. It leads to a corner delivered to the near post, where Manaj swivels and flicks the ball on to the far stick, where Mehmeti ghosts in unmarked and has no trouble turning it in. The Titans’ instinctive response is a long-range effort from Nanni, lacking in venom. At the other end, on 28 minutes, a free-kick is awarded right on the edge of the area: Manaj somehow squeezes the ball through despite the dense wall assembled by Colombo; the latter parries the powerful effort from the former Inter man but can do nothing about Uzuni’s tap-in, as he is first to the loose ball. The huge Albanian contingent in the stands are kept waiting for a long time; it is no easy task for the VAR room to draw the exact offside line, but after an extended check with his colleagues, referee Káprály confirms the goal: Uzuni’s position is played onside by the so‑called “crocodile”. San Marino do not drop their heads and instead look to finish the first half on the front foot. A deep free-kick from Lorenzo Capicchioni brings the first corner of the game, but it comes to nothing. Shortly afterwards, Lazzari swings in a wicked cross towards Nanni: it is not easy for the two centre-backs to read, but they are helped by Sherri, who cuts through the danger by timing his intervention to perfection.

The second half begins with a single change for Albania: former Atalanta defender Djimsiti makes way for Kumbulla, another player with experience in Italy. The captain’s armband also changes hands, passing to Manaj. No changes for the Titans, who approach the second half with the same fighting spirit, and in the first ten minutes they establish a stable presence in the final quarter of the pitch, as shown by the three consecutive corners they win around the 55-minute mark. Albania’s defensive line has now dropped very deep, allowing the hosts to build. And on 58 minutes a gilt‑edged chance falls to Nanni, created by another intelligent cross from Lazzari from the flank and a touch from Gabriel Capicchioni that turns into the perfect assist for the No 9, whose close-range effort is met by a simply sensational reflex save from Sherri. Only a corner for San Marino and hands on heads from all the home contingent, crowd included. Cevoli responds with his first substitutions: Fabbri, Meloni and Della Balda all come on at once. And it is the latter, making his second consecutive appearance, whom Benvenuti looks for immediately: the full-back’s cross is dangerous but finds no touch; in any case, the offside flag goes up. Soon after, Albania mount their first serious attack of the second period – and immediately find the third goal. The move stems from a corner punched clear by Colombo. The ball is promptly played back into the San Marino box, where Manaj slips away from his markers and finds himself with a clear sight of goal: Colombo emulates Sherri with a superb stop from the striker’s first effort, but is powerless to prevent the follow‑up tap‑in, far too easy to miss. Shortly afterwards, for the visitors, Cristian Shpendi comes on, a hero to the Cesena fans and a former player in the San Marino Academy youth ranks. On 74 minutes San Marino make their second change window: Zannoni replaces Pancotti. Soon after, Gabriel Capicchioni’s match also comes to an end, as he makes way for Giacopetti. The Titans attempt a few more forays forward but cannot find a way through. Albania, for their part, also ease off. And so the final quarter of an hour drifts by without major incidents, save for a wayward header from Sina and a very advanced – and spectacular – headed clearance from Colombo, who dives out of his box to cover his defenders on a potentially dangerous long ball. The head coach had asked for courage and he got encouraging answers from his players, who will now look to build on them in back‑to‑back away fixtures against Belarus first and then Albania again.

UEFA Nations League, Group C1 | San Marino – Albania 0-3

SAN MARINO (4-3-1-2)

Colombo; G. Benvenuti, Cevoli (60’ Fabbri), Rossi, Giocondi; Mularoni, L. Capicchioni (60’ Meloni), Pancotti (74’ Zannoni); Lazzari (60’ Della Balda); G. Capicchioni (78’ Giacopetti), Nanni

Substitutes: Amici, De Angelis, Tosi, Salicioni, Pasolini, Bugli, Marinucci

Head coach: Roberto Cevoli

ALBANIA (4-2-3-1)

Sherri; Sina, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Mitaj; Shehu (74’ Qefalija), Asllani; Uzuni, Muçi (66’ Hoxha), Mehmeti (80’ Hasa); Manaj (66’ Shpendi)

Substitutes: Berisha, Dajsinani, Hysaj, Sulejmanov, Daku, Ramadani, Pilo

Head coach: Rolando Maran

Referee: Mihály Káprály (HUN)

Assistant referees: Balázs Buzás (HUN), Péter Kóbor (HUN)

Fourth official: Marcell Derdák (HUN)

VAR: Tamás Bognár (HUN)

AVAR: Katalin Kulcsár (HUN)

Booked: Asllani, Nanni

Scorers: 21’ Mehmeti, 28’ Uzuni, 65’ Manaj

Attendance: 3,402