Under-16: San Marino edged out by Montenegro as Slovenia win Development Tournament

It was a fairly balanced match that brought the curtain down on the UEFA Development Tournament held in San Marino and involving the hosts’ Under-16 national team alongside their counterparts from Slovenia, Georgia and Montenegro. The young Biancazzurri met the Montenegrin side, having mirrored their path in the competition up to the head-to-head. Third place was on the line, which the visitors tried to claim with a break by Vlahovic on 13 minutes, when a superb Marinucci denied Kostic a certain goal. From the same move, a minute later, the centre forward’s attempt was clumsy as he failed to get a shot away from a very promising position. San Marino tried to hit back, leaning on Protti and especially Semperlotti: a fine first-time play by Enea Della Balda triggered a three-on-three counter-attack, halted by a challenge from Stokanovic right on the edge – of the box and of the law. Midway through the half Milosevic broke away on the counter, but Jacopo Casadei dived to his right and held. The Titani threatened on the half-hour from a corner, with Protti just centimetres away from getting a touch at the near post. As is often the case in international football, a small error made the difference. In this case it was a communication breakdown: Jacopo Casadei called for the ball on an innocuous cross from Dukic, but Marinucci opted to head it clear. Vlahovic pounced on the loose ball and launched into a solo run, drawing three players before slipping in Pavicevic on the edge of the area. Left criminally unmarked, the midfielder was able to take a touch and pick his spot, beating Casadei with an unstoppable finish. At Beltrano’s half-time whistle, Montenegro’s first goal of the tournament also proved to be their only one. Early in the second half San Marino immediately won a corner, to no effect, while from a similar situation Martinovic got a header on target that Casadei dealt with comfortably. Pavicevic posed more danger with a left-footed volley on 65 minutes, while it took a superb reflex save from Casadei to deny substitute Nikcevic a second goal. San Marino showed again on 73 minutes through an initiative from Protti, who sat Stokanovic down and looked for Burioni, stopped by a defender just as he was about to shoot. A minute later Casadei was called into action again, bravely coming out to smother Miljanic’s foray into the box. The San Marino goalkeeper was less precise on 77 minutes, misjudging the timing of his run and allowing Nikcevic to round him: from a tight angle but with plenty of goal to aim at, the visiting striker found the net – but only the wrong side of it. In the closing stages San Marino threw bodies forward in search of the goal that would have taken the contest to penalties. Burioni turned well from around 20 metres out but fired over with his right, ignoring the support of Gualtieri. Montenegro had another chance to deliver the knockout blow on 88 minutes, when Knezevic powered down the flank and squared for Nikcevic, who contrived to miss an open goal from the edge of the six-yard box. In stoppage time San Marino poured forward, inevitably leaving space for opposition counters which led to a wide diagonal effort from Jokanovic and a clipped crossbar from Nikcevic – unconvincing inside the box but close to a wonder goal from 35 metres. The last chance was an outside-of-the-boot effort from Protti, who in the 95th minute tested Durovic with a difficult acrobatic attempt that failed to trouble the visiting keeper. Montenegro thus finished in third place, behind Slovenia and Georgia. Earlier in the day, the team from across the border wrapped up a deserved triumph in the Development Tournament. Hočevar opened the scoring on 15 minutes, only for Chubunidze to level with a stunning strike on the half-hour. Before the interval, Suhovršnik restored Slovenia’s lead, and the win was sealed at 3-1 by a penalty from Raspet on 74 minutes, six minutes after he had come on. Radosavljevič’s side finished with a perfect record, while Georgia slipped to defeat after winning both of their opening games. Click here for the updated standings.

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Under-16, UEFA Development Tournament 2023, DAY 3 | Slovenia-Georgia 3-1 SLOVENIA Žnuderl; Petrovič (from 68' Voldrih), Vukelič (from 80' Bilač), Drobnič, Petrovič; Jurgec, Viher (from 61' Pečjak), Ačimović (from 46' Miloševič), Šunta (from 61' Žužek), Suhovršnik (from 68' Šabotič); Hočevar (from 68' Raspet, from 80' Dassena) Substitutes: Antonič Coach: Aleksandar Radosavljevič   GEORGIA Asanidze (from 87' Bakhutashvili); Khachidze, Amisulashvili, Gogoli (from 66' Jaoshvili), Lashkhia (from 66' Bedianashvili); Kutateladze (from 61' Nikvashvili), Surguladze, Ratiani (from 61' Tatishvili), Chubunidze (from 66' Nakhutsrishvili); Nioradze (from 46' Peradze), Gogilashvili (from 61' Kvashilava) Substitutes: Mzhavanadze Coach: George Chitauri   Referee: Luca Zani Assistant referees: Andrea Zaghini and Marco Savorani Fourth official: Salvatore Tuttifrutti Scorers: 15' Hočevar, 30' Chubunidze, 43' Suhovršnik, 74' pen. Raspet Booked: Amisulashvili, Surguladze, Vukelič, Dassena

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Under-16, UEFA Development Tournament 2023, DAY 3 | San Marino-Montenegro 0-1 SAN MARINO Casadei; Bindi (from 46' Mularoni), Marani (from 66' Zavoli), Bugli, Marinucci, Forcellini (from 66' Giorgetti); E. Della Balda (from 78' Gualtieri), Pasolini, Valentini (from 66' Giorgetti); Protti, Semperlotti (from 66' Burioni) Substitutes: F. Della Balda, Faetanini, Nicolini Coach: Matteo Magnani   MONTENEGRO Durovic; Mugosa, Stokanovic, Martinovic, Dukic (from 46' Miljanic); Karabasil (from 46' Jovanovic), Jokanovic; Milosevic (from 60' Javkovic), Pavicevic (from 66' Maras), Vlahovic (from 66' Knezevic); Kostic (from 66' Nikcevic) Substitutes: Bozovic, Savovic Coach: Radovan Kavaja   Referee: Michele Beltrano Assistant referees: Salvatore Tuttifrutti and Andrea Zaghini Fourth official: Alessandro Vandi Scorers: 35' Pavicevic Booked: Semperlotti, Pasolini, Javkovic, Valentini, Martinovic, Knezevic

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