National Team: "In Saint Lucia a real chance to get back to winning ways"

Far from being seen as a reward trip or an off-season holiday, as some mischievous minds might have thought, the San Marino National Team returned today from a week of toil and battles – literally so, for those who were unable to watch both matches in full – in Saint Lucia. Nine days of long, demanding journeys, punctuated by almost daily training sessions under the scorching Caribbean sun and in the sultry island of the Atlantic. It was a destination where the Titans went in pursuit of a long-awaited win, showing in the first meeting with Saint Lucia that they have the qualities to taste victory again and that, perhaps, the current FIFA Ranking, which has San Marino at the foot of the table, can be challenged also through these intercontinental match-ups with footballing realities far removed from the ultra-competitive European scene. "In this double away fixture in Saint Lucia we played two matches on an equal footing, the kind you can win or lose. We return home with a draw and a defeat which obviously cannot satisfy us, but we genuinely had the chance to get back to winning. Those who watched the games, especially the first one, know exactly what I’m talking about," commented Matteo Vitaioli, captain of the San Marino National Team, who reached 80 caps on Sunday. "Although we didn’t face teams with global prestige, we experienced two matches in which victory was neither a pipe dream nor an excessively difficult target. We must thank the FSGC for this opportunity". Sharing that view is Head Coach Fabrizio Costantini: "We come back with undeniable regret over the outcome of the second match in particular, but also with the awareness that we played with a genuine objective of returning to winning ways. We must also remember that in these games we were unable to rely on players of proven importance for this team. Nevertheless, many young players made their debut, immediately standing out for their personality and quality. For these nine days of camp – because it was in every respect a full training camp – I want to thank everyone involved: first and foremost the players and staff, for their commitment and the sacrifices made during tough, intense training sessions. But also those who handled the organisation of a trip that is unprecedented in the history of the San Marino Football Federation, and who deserve our recognition for providing such a unique opportunity".

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