National Team: Finland pull away after the break, inspired by Walta and Pohjanpalo

Finland need just over four minutes to change the course of the match that marks San Marino’s (historic) debut in Nations League League C – in front of the Stadium crowd. Pohjanpalo latches onto a short defensive clearance from a Walta cross and connects with a first-time volley: the shot is not especially powerful, but Pasolini’s deflection helps Palermo’s centre forward make it 1-0. The goal helps the Scandinavians loosen up. On 9 minutes they are threatening again with a slick three-man move on the edge of the box: Pohjanpalo slips the ball to Walta, who has time to shoot but miscues his effort, sending it wide. San Marino try to react by exploiting the counter-attacking option. The understanding between Zannoni and Giacopetti works well, with the former sending the latter through on goal; he does brilliantly to power past Lähteenmäki but is unable to pull the trigger once inside the area: there is no space for a shot and, on his cross, there is no touch to at least win a corner. In the meantime Finland stay fully focused, and around the quarter-hour they double their lead through Svanbäck, left unmarked to nod home from close range from Walta’s perfectly measured cross. Within a couple of minutes the number 22 finds another gilt‑edged chance to smash the ball in: this time the assist comes from Keskinen and this time it is Cevoli’s outstretched leg that denies him the joy of a brace. Colombo produces his first major intervention midway through the half, when Walta suddenly turns in the box and tries to surprise the San Marino keeper at his near post, unsuccessfully. At this stage Finland are laying siege to the home goal. And such persistent pressure pays off on 33 minutes, when Pohjanpalo plays Svanbäck in inside the box; he shapes to shoot but instead looks for Marhiev, who with a brilliant dummy sets up Källman with a chance the wide man does not pass up: a side‑footed finish into the corner makes it 3-0 to the visitors. Within a couple of minutes Källman swaps the scorer’s role for that of creator; his through ball for Pohjanpalo is delightful, and the striker still gets a shot away despite Pasolini’s attempted block, but his diagonal effort drifts wide. In the final phase of the half comes San Marino’s clearest chance of the opening period. Nanni wins the ball back in midfield and finds Lorenzo Capicchioni, then immediately offers himself for the return pass in the 2 v 1 situation against Koski; Capicchioni, however, hesitates at the crucial moment and in the end it is the Finnish defender who emerges on top from the duel despite being outnumbered, to the despair of the two Titans. Finland, though, are nowhere near thinking about the dressing room yet. Less than a minute after that scare, Marhiev threads a superb ball in behind for Pohjanpalo, who goes through one-on-one with Colombo: the San Marino goalkeeper comes out on top in the duel, and then breathes a sigh of relief as Svanbäck’s miscued cross drops behind the goal after clipping the angle of post and bar. The last word of the first half, however, belongs to the San Marino National Team, with Tosi bursting down the left (after a bad air-kick from Keskinen) and then failing to pick out a team‑mate in the box, but Giacopetti still does well to recycle the ball for Golinucci, whose left‑footed attempt sails over the bar.

The second half begins with a moment of magic from Walta, who bends a right‑footer from outside the box right into the top corner, leaving Colombo completely rooted to the spot. Things get even worse for the Titans a couple of minutes later, when Golinucci mistimes a challenge on Svanbäck and is shown a straight red card. Perhaps a little harsh on the Biancazzurri captain: VAR nevertheless confirms the decision and San Marino resume with ten men against eleven. The impact is immediately felt, also because Walta decides to really take centre stage. After his wonderful goal for 4-0, another follows in quick succession, the product of a slaloming solo run finished with a right‑footed shot that may be less spectacular than the previous one, but is no less accurate or effective. From a corner, Samuli Miettinen gives Colombo a scare, while coach Cevoli decides to make his first changes: Pancotti and Mularoni come on for Giacopetti and Lorenzo Capicchioni. Walta even goes in search of a hat‑trick, but this time his right‑footed effort lacks power. Midway through the half, Roberto Cevoli makes further substitutions: Giocondi and Della Balda come on, the latter making his full senior debut with the National Team. The 2007‑born youngster immediately catches the eye with a fine through ball for Pancotti, who tries to finish off the counter‑attack by setting up Giocondi, flagged offside. At this point Finland have no need to maintain a frantic tempo. The Scandinavian side, however, suddenly flick the switch again, putting the San Marino back line under serious pressure. As on 77 minutes, when after a series of sharp exchanges Pohjanpalo tees up Väänänen, who connects with the outside of his boot and sends the ball just wide. Palermo’s striker then opts to return to his more familiar role as finisher. And so, on 79 minutes, he makes a run in behind for Svanbäck’s through ball (the latter doing well to find space between the lines) and then, as he falls, steers the ball in off the post to claim his second brace of the evening after Walta’s earlier double. On 81 minutes the Finland captain even decides to push the limits, producing a spectacular overhead kick which, after a deflection, turns into an assist for Svanbäck, denied by a magnificent save from Colombo. The assistant’s raised flag rules the move out, but it does not take anything away from the quality of the San Marino keeper’s stop. In the meantime, despite the obvious difficulties, the home side had shown themselves with a powerful driving run from deep by Giocondi, who immediately looked to pick out Nanni, beaten to the ball at the far post by Tony Miettinen. Signs of pride from Cevoli’s players, which however cannot erase the fatigue factor – not least given the lengthy spell spent a man down. So it happens that, on 88 minutes, Mularoni trips Lod right on the edge of the box and referee Verboomen points to the spot. From eleven metres it is Pohjanpalo who steps up, a recognised specialist and he proves it again: a powerful, well‑placed strike, sending Colombo the wrong way, and the hat‑trick is complete. In the meantime Giacomo Benvenuti has come on for Cevoli. In added time the Stadium crowd rise to a 3 v 3 break led by Della Balda, whose cross is cut out by the Finnish backline. It is effectively the final act of a match that does not bring joy to the Titans but nonetheless represents an important milestone in the history of San Marino football. Attention now turns to Tuesday evening’s match against Albania, again in Serravalle.

UEFA Nations League, Group C1 | San Marino – Finland 0-7

SAN MARINO (4-3-2-1)

Colombo; Fabbri (70’ Della Balda), Cevoli (80’ Benvenuti), Pasolini, Tosi; Meloni, L. Capicchioni (59’ Mularoni), Golinucci; Giacopetti (59’ Pancotti), Zannoni (70’ Giocondi); Nanni

Substitutes: Zavoli, De Angelis, G. Rossi, G. Capicchioni, Salicioni, Marinucci, Lazzari

Head coach: Roberto Cevoli

FINLAND (3-5-2)

Sinisalo; Koski (46’ T. Miettinen), S. Miettinen, Lähteenmäki; Keskinen (46’ Ståhl), Kairinen, Marhiev (46’ Väänänen), Walta (70’ Valakari), Källman (59’ Lod); Svanbäck, Pohjanpalo

Substitutes: Hrádecký, Bergström, Väisänen, Jukkola, Kamara, Suhonen, Mahuta

Head coach: Jacob Friis

Referee: Nathan Verboonen (BEL)

Assistant referees: Mathias Hillaert (BEL), Maarten Toeback (BEL)

Fourth official: Jasper Vergoote (BEL)

VAR: Bert Put (BEL)

AVAR: Wesli De Cremer (BEL)

Booked: Marhiev, Meloni

Sent off: Golinucci (straight red)

Scorers: 5’, 79’ and 88’ (pen) Pohjanpalo, 14’ Svanbäck, 33’ Källman, 50’ and 55’ Walta

Attendance: 1,148