Women’s National Team: 23 Titane involved in second Tirrenia test match

Having in the meantime moved from Under-16 to Under-17 level, San Marino’s only women’s national team repeated yesterday afternoon’s friendly test that, around this time last year, had marked its absolute debut on the international stage, even though that occasion, exactly like this one, did not have official status. In any case, at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Tirrenia, the match-up with the Italy Calcio+15 Selection had, if not all, then most of the hallmarks of a real international fixture. Starting, naturally, with the pre‑match national anthems. Head Coach Giacomo Piva approached the first of the three 30-minute periods with Arianna Forcellini in goal and, in front of her, Aurora Terenzi, Paolini, Carli, Benedettini, Andreini, Yazici, Penserini, Bianchi, Francini and Paone. The Italian side closed the opening period 2-0 up, thanks to goals from Saragoni on 9 minutes and Elshamy on 25 minutes. In the second period, the Biancazzurre’s starting eleven was confirmed in full, at least at the beginning. Then, on 10 minutes, came the first changes, with Elisa Terenzi replacing Bianchi, Stifani coming on for Andreini and Bonciucci for Aurora Terenzi. On 21 minutes, another triple change in a single window: Ragazzini for Francini, Serena Forcellini for Paone and Moroni for Penserini. In the meantime, Italy scored four more times, with Elshamy (who completed her hat-trick) adding to earlier goals by Crotti and Iiriti. In the third period Piva reshuffled his starting line-up: in front of Arianna Forcellini this time were Moroni, Paolini, Mariotti, Bonciucci, Bartoli, Yazici, Penserini, Ragazzini, Serena Forcellini and Paone. On 7 minutes Benedettini returned in place of Ragazzini, while on 19 minutes there was a six‑player change: Bianchi, Francini, Lazzaretti, Carli, Della Valle and Mastronardi came on, with Yazici, Bartoli, Mariotti, Bonciucci, Penserini and Arianna Forcellini making way. In total, 23 players took to the field over the three periods: more than on any previous occasion. On the scoreboard, the Azzurrine stretched their lead to 8-0 through goals by Platto (21’) and Crotti (30+1’). The result, however, was very much a secondary aspect on an afternoon that once again served to broaden the international experience of San Marino’s representatives, especially the youngest ones (among those called up were seven girls born in 2011 and four in 2010), but also those who, in the 2024 calendar year, had been protagonists of the very first outings – UEFA and otherwise – of the newly formed Under-16 national team. The two-day training camp at the CPO in Tirrenia was also an opportunity for a meeting between the two delegations. On Wednesday evening, the two Heads of Women’s Football at the FSGC, Pierangelo Manzaroli and Gian Luca Angelini, together with Women’s National Teams Coordinator Gionata Arcangeli, not only strengthened the mutual understanding but also exchanged knowledge, objectives and plans – and sketched out future collaborations and projects – with FIGC officials such as Stefano Tribuzi, Head of the Competitions Area of the Youth and School Sector, Massimo Tell, National Contact for the YSS programme and also Head of Women’s National Teams in the 15+ and 16+ project, as well as Enrico Sbardella, Coordinator of the Women’s National Teams and Director of the Olympic Preparation Centre in Tirrenia. Also present at the dinner between delegations was international referee Deborah Bianchi, who the following day would take charge of the test match and who, in March last year, refereed the first of the two home friendlies played by San Marino’s senior national team against St. Kitts & Nevis.

---