National team, Giacopetti strike not enough as Bangladesh celebrate at the death

A bitter ending for the National Team in their very first official meeting with Asian opposition. The Titani hit back through Giacopetti (who moves on to three goals, level with Berardi) after Bangladesh’s opening strike and go on to play a good second half, despite allowing the Bengal Tigers a few clear-cut chances. Then, just when everything seems set for a second consecutive draw, the visitors find a way to send the packed South Stand – reserved for the away supporters – into raptures.

The opening exchanges are intense from a competitive standpoint but short on scoring chances. San Marino start on the front foot, often operating in the final third, but in the first 15 minutes they muster just one shot on target: a free-kick on the edge of the box by Tosi, which hits the wall. Backed by thousands upon thousands of fans at the Stadium, Bangladesh grow into the game. And it is indeed the visitors who create the first real chance, following a long ball from Saad Uddin from the halfway line: Choudhury cleverly heads it on for Bhuyan, whose effort from almost point-blank range crashes into Pasolini’s back. It is a sort of preview of what will happen moments later. This time the ball is delivered into the box from the right by Morsalin, and the cross is so accurate that Barman doesn’t need anything special to power his header into the net from close range. San Marino react, even if their first attacking flurries do not particularly trouble Marma. Once past the half-hour mark, however, the Titani’s efforts are rewarded with the equaliser. Pancotti releases Berardi down the flank; the number 10 in light blue skips past Barman with a dribble and from the by-line picks out Giacopetti perfectly, whose turn and shot aren’t held by Marma: and so comes his third goal in four games for the 2006-born forward – on his birthday, no less. Parity is restored at the Stadium. But it almost immediately comes under threat when Saad Uddin combines with Morsalin and races through one-on-one with Colombo, only to blaze his finish wildly over. The little time remaining in the half brings no further twists: the sides go in level at the break.

At half-time Roberto Cevoli makes just one change, bringing on Riccardi in place of Tosi, a move that leaves his tactical set-up completely unchanged. Bangladesh, by contrast, make three substitutions in one go. One of those entering is Mohammed Rana, who just 3 minutes after the restart spurns a huge chance, mis-kicking the ball delivered across the face of goal by Rafiqul Islam, who had broken free down the right. A few minutes later the home defence survive another major scare. Again the danger comes from the left from a defensive perspective, this time with Saad Uddin swinging in a precise cross for Fahim arriving at the far post: the Asian number 11’s close-range effort smacks against the upright. San Marino shake themselves and win, through Pancotti, a very inviting free-kick from just outside the box. The responsibility falls to Berardi, who sends the ball just a few centimetres over the bar. That episode is followed only minutes later by Cevoli’s first multiple substitution, which also involves Cristian Meloni, making his official debut for the senior National Team. Shortly afterwards, San Marino win another free-kick, earned by Lorenzo Capicchioni. Lazzari touches the ball to number 8, who unleashes a ferocious drive towards Marma’s goal, forcing the keeper into a full-stretch dive to claw it away from the post to his left. The resulting corner is delivered into the area of Giacopetti, who goes for the volley but, closely marked, cannot generate either the power or the accuracy required. Bangladesh threaten again with a long ball from Barman towards the run of Ghosh. With the defence poorly aligned, the number 12 bursts straight through the middle and goes clean through on Colombo, only to shoot wide. In the meantime Cevoli makes further changes. One of the freshest players on the pitch, Salicioni, is picked out in the box by Lazzari, but the defence manages to clear the danger a split second before the home number 14 can strike what would have been a penalty in open play. The match moves into its closing phase, with the draw seemingly destined to be filed away – not least because the tempo has dropped. Instead, on 86 minutes, Bangladesh win a free-kick that Choudhury steps up to take. The Leicester player floats the ball into the area, where Sohel Rana’s attempted scissor-kick turns into an assist for Barman, who heads the ball beyond Colombo once again, completing his brace and effectively sealing victory for Bangladesh. The Titani throw everything forward to change the course of the evening, but apart from a shot by Lorenzo Capicchioni that momentarily slips from Marma’s grasp (the keeper recovering it right on the line), they cannot find a way to dampen the home supporters’ joy, which after the final whistle spills over into a peaceful, celebratory pitch invasion. Now, after three consecutive home friendlies, Roberto Cevoli’s National Team will pack their bags for the game against Azerbaijan, to be played next Tuesday in Hungary.

International friendly | San Marino – Bangladesh 1-2

SAN MARINO (4-3-2-1)

Colombo; G. Benvenuti (64’ Fabbri), Cevoli, Pasolini, Tosi (46’ Riccardi); Pancotti (58’ Lazzari), L. Capicchioni, Zannoni (58’ G. Capicchioni); Berardi (64’ Valli Casadei), Giacopetti (69’ Salicioni); Nanni (58’ Meloni)

Subs: De Angelis, Amici, Giocondi, Rossi, Sancisi, Mularoni, Marinucci, Tamagnini

Head coach: Roberto Cevoli

BANGLADESH (4-3-3)

Marma; S. Uddin, Kazi, Barman, Faysal (46’ Ahmed); R. Islam (64’ Ghosh), Choudhury, M. Rana (75’ Shah), Fahim (64’ F. Islam); Morsalin (46’ S. Rana), Bhuyan (46’ Shome)

Subs: Rahman, Hossain, Topu, Ridoy, Emon, T. Uddin

Head coach: Thomas Dooley

Referee: Walter Altmann (AUT)

Assistants: Robert Steinacher (AUT), Mattias Hartl (AUT)

Fourth official: Michele Beltrano (SMR)

VAR: Harald Lechner (AUT)

AVAR: Stefan Pichler (AUT)

Booked: R. Islam, Giacopetti, G. Capicchioni, Lazzari, S. Uddin, Barman, Choudhury, Colombo, L. Capicchioni

Scorers: 19’ and 86’ Barman, 31’ Giacopetti

Attendance: 2,934