National Team: Edin Džeko makes the difference between Bosnia and San Marino

A spine-tingling atmosphere, despite the 32°C in Zenica, for the clash between Bosnia and Herzegovina and San Marino. Helping push Bilino Polje towards a sell-out, packed in all of its 11,700 seats, was also the tribute to Miralem Pjanić, who bid farewell to the national team after 115 caps and 17 goals. The tempo was not at its peak in the early stages, with the only scare coming in the Bosnian box after a risky back-pass to Vasilj, who had to produce an acrobatic clearance to escape the San Marino press. Overall, it was San Marino who had the better of things in the first quarter of an hour and on 12 minutes the Biancazzurri put together an excellent move playing out from the back, ending with a corner won by Nanni. In the following two minutes, the Titans created just as many chances, with efforts from Lazzari and Zannoni from the heart of the area. The two midfielders were off target, but San Marino were very much in the game. At the other end, however, there are top-level players capable of exploiting even the slightest lapse. So in the 16th minute Demirović picked out a through ball for Baždar. The left-footed effort from the forward beat Colombo but not Tommaso Benvenuti – excellent in tracking the move and clearing off the line. That episode energised Barbarez’s men, who went close again through Baždar on 33 minutes. On that occasion the Džeko deputy, under pressure from Tommaso Benvenuti, shot wide with the goal gaping. Once the danger had passed, San Marino pushed again towards the end of the half: Zannoni – by some distance the most dangerous of the Biancazzurri – tried a brave volley from 25 metres, before bursting into the box and unleashing a left-footed strike which Malić crucially diverted behind for a corner. It was goalless at the break, despite several goal-scoring chances for both sides.

Barbarez shuffled his pack at the restart, making three changes which still did not involve Džeko – who remained on the bench. For San Marino, Valli Casadei took over the playmaker role from Capicchioni. Bosnia and Herzegovina came out strongly, with Demirović back-heeling home on 51 minutes; the move, however, was disallowed by Godinho for a foul in attack committed by the captain himself in a tangle of legs with Cevoli. Shortly after, Baždar tried again but Colombo stood firm. Desperate times call for desperate measures: in the 62nd minute the Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach decided to play his trump card, who duly settled matters in less than five minutes. Edin Džeko, greeted with an ovation as he came on, broke the deadlock midway through the second half: a move he himself started and then finished, after Dedić recycled the ball back into the middle. Impeccable control and a clinical finish from close range from the former Roma and Inter striker. The Biancazzurri responded through Tommaso Benvenuti, who after a deft first touch drove past Memić with real drive. The Bosnian full-back did well to recover without risking a rash tackle in the area. At the other end, Burnić’s thunderous strike flew just over the bar. In the closing stages Colombo kept San Marino in it with a stunning save on Džeko’s angled drive, and the forward had another chance in the continuation of the move, ending with a right-footed volley that flashed just wide. As added time approached, San Marino pieced together a move down the flanks that led to a Fabbri cross from the edge of the area: at the far post Memić missed his clearance, also taking Tommaso Benvenuti out of the equation, though the latter reacted well to bring the ball down near the six-yard box. A narrow defeat thus materialised, after a positive and enterprising performance which – especially in the first half – also produced more than one opportunity to score. In the end, the only thing separating Bosnia and Herzegovina and San Marino was Edin Džeko.

European Qualifiers – FIFA World Cup 2026, Matchday 3 | Bosnia and Herzegovina-San Marino 1-0

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (4-3-3)

Vasilj; Malić (46’ Dedić), Katić (84’ Bičakčić), Barisić (46’ Muharemović), Burnić; Šunjić, Hajradinović, Tahirović; Gigović (46’ Memić), Baždar (62’ Džeko), Demirović

Substitutes: Hadžikić¸ Muftić, Mujakić, Huseinbasic, Bašić, Šarić, Kulenović

Head coach: Sergej Barbarez

SAN MARINO (4-3-3)

Colombo; Fabbri, Cevoli, T. Benvenuti, Riccardi (70’ G. Benvenuti); Golinucci, Capicchioni (46’ Valli Casadei), Zannoni; Contadini (70’ Mularoni), Nanni (70’ Giacopetti), Lazzari (66’ Sensoli)

Substitutes: Zavoli, Amici, Rossi, Salicioni, Matteoni, Valentini, Pasolini

Head coach: Roberto Cevoli

Referee: Luis Godinho (POR)

Assistant referees: Rui Teixeira (POR) and Pedro Almeida (POR)

Fourth official: Miguel Nogueira (POR)

VAR: André Narciso (POR)

AVAR: Helder Malheiro (POR)

Scorer: 66’ Džeko

Booked: Colombo, Fabbri, Dedić

Note: 11,700 spectators