Under-17: Montenegro U18 win both Acquaviva friendlies

Two friendlies spread over as many days for the San Marino Under-17 national team, who faced Montenegro U18 last Sunday and again this morning. All the players available to Draskovic were born in 2005, while in Bonesso's squad several 2006-born players also featured and impressed. Among the Montenegrins, the qualities of Krivokapic stood out – a diminutive forward, equally effective as a left winger or central striker. He was the one to break the deadlock in both encounters: in Sunday’s match he needed a penalty midway through the first half. After a low cross, Krivokapic saw his left-foot shot from close range blocked by Ciacci; from the continuation of the move, Mravljevic’s powerful effort struck Molinari’s outstretched arm. For Vandi it was a penalty, and Krivokapic’s left-footed diagonal was unerring. Earlier, Borasco had produced a miraculous save on the same forward, denying him from close range, and was less precise when coming off his line in an action that favoured Pavicevic. The subsequent flap by the goalkeeper and Ciacci’s clearance off the line prevented further damage. For San Marino, there was a good chance created by the Cervellini–Zafferani combination, which however did not result in a shot on Bobicic’s goal. The Titani then went very close through Zafferani himself, who was almost dominant in the air: in the 25th minute, from a wide free-kick, his powerful header looked destined to bring the equaliser with Bobicic beaten. Montenegro, at the other end, showed no such mercy. Jukic found Krivokapic in an onside position behind the defence, but Borasco bravely dived at his feet. The ball, however, fell to Mravljevic’s right foot, his shot crashing off the bar before flying vertically into the net. The Titani did not stand by and, right at the end of the half, went within a whisker of scoring through Cervellini, who broke on the counter only to be denied by the providential foot of Bobicic when a goal seemed certain. ©FSGC | the starting XI from Sunday’s match After the restart Montenegro struck with their first real attempt: Vracar’s low cross was deflected in the middle of the area by Alberto Riccardi, inadvertently setting up Mravljevic. The number nine duly completed his brace, simply nudging the ball past Borasco and rolling it into the net from a matter of centimetres. In the final half hour San Marino’s goal was rarely threatened, while the Sensoli–Famiglietti duo fashioned a potentially dangerous chance by winning the ball on the edge of the opposition box. Famiglietti, however, was unable to get the shot away with his right foot and the move fizzled out with an inaccurate pass. The closing stages were tinged light blue and white, but from two consecutive set-piece situations Ciacci could not find the right connection. The script was similar in this morning’s game, again played in Acquaviva and again kicking off at 11:00. Fatigue from the first match was evident on both sides, but Montenegro’s opener on 13 minutes stemmed from an error in playing out from the back. Ljuljanovic dispossessed Ciacci and allowed Radusinovic to slide the ball through to Krivokapic, who met it with a powerful left-foot side-foot that nestled just under the top corner. Shortly afterwards, Borasco had to come off his line to halt Ljuljanovic’s surge; from the ensuing play Radusinovic struck the crossbar and the goalkeeper’s back, but Ljuljanovic was in an off-side position when he turned in the rebound. San Marino replied with an inaccurate right-foot volley by Renzi, who had timed his run well onto Famiglietti’s lay-off. Bonesso’s boys then threatened with an individual move by Zafferani, who drove to the byline and crossed into the middle, where Camaj slipped, allowing Sensoli to work a good ball to the onrushing Valli Casadei. The captain’s left-foot side-foot from the edge of the area flew over the bar. Just after the half-hour, Montenegro had another goal ruled out for the familiar offside position of Ljuljanovic from a Badnjar cross. In the second half the Biancazzurrini won a free-kick from the side of the area through Sensoli. The set-piece was taken by Renzi, who went for the near post and picked out Ciacci: he got there first but, nudged from behind, steered wide. Shortly afterwards Valli Casadei also tried his luck, doing well to evade Delic’s pressure with a sombrero before shooting wide with his right. That led up to the episode of the second goal, which came from a ball won back in midfield by Montenegro. Osmajlic slipped it through to Krivokapic, who appeared to be beyond Ugolini; the position was deemed onside and the striker had little trouble outpacing Borasco and finishing with his right, rendering Ugolini’s attempted goal-line clearance futile. San Marino threw men forward in search of a goal and Bonesso also introduced Yazici on the left wing to support Famiglietti and Sensoli. The visitors were thus able to exploit more space, which Pavicevic used fully to drive down the left and cut back for Vracar: his right-foot effort as Borasco came out failed to hit the target. Later, Pavicevic himself twice squandered good chances to make it three. At the other end, only an alert Matejic denied Sensoli a simple scoring opportunity, created by Popovic’s reckless headed back-pass. Deep into stoppage time, there was a fine save from Mularoni – who had replaced Borasco in the 78th minute – to turn away Tesovic’s powerful right-foot strike from the edge of the box.  

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International friendlies, 1 May 2022 | San Marino U17–Montenegro U18 0-3   SAN MARINO Borasco; Ugolini (from 89' Valentini), Ciacci, A. Riccardi; Zafferani (from 67' Renzi), Cervellini (from 81' Gualtieri), Valli Casadei (from 89' Berretti), Molinari (from 81' Casadei), Gasperoni (from 67' S. Riccardi); Pierini (from 67' Famiglietti), Yazici (from 81' Sensoli) Substitutes: Mularoni, Selva Coach: Alessandro Loris Bonesso   MONTENEGRO Bobicic; Mugosa (from 67' Vukicevic), Kecojevic (from 67' Vujovic), Camaj (from 77' Popovic), Luka (from 46' Badnjar); Jukic (from 77' Ljuljanvoci), Radusinovic (from 67' Kostic), Tesovic (from 46' Delic); Mravljevic (from 67' Radojevic), Krivokapic (from 77' Osmajlic), Pavicevic (from 46' Vracar) Substitute: Matejic Coach: Slobodan Draskovic   Referee: Alessandro Vandi Assistants: Andrea Zaghini and Andrea Depaoli Fourth official: Emiliano Albani Scorers: 23' pen. Krivokapic, 37', 49' Mravljevic  

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International friendlies, 3 May 2022 | San Marino U17–Montenegro U18 0-2 SAN MARINO Borasco (from 78' Molinari); Ugolini (from 85' Selva), Ciacci (from 84' Valentini), A. Riccardi; Zafferani (from 66' Yazici), Molinari (from 46' Cervellini), Valli Casadei (from 84' Casadei), Renzi (from 66' Gasperoni), S. Riccardi (from 78' Gualtieri); Sensoli, Famiglietti (from 78' Pierini) Substitute: Berretti Coach: Alessandro Loris Bonesso   MONTENEGRO Matejic; Mugosa (from 51' Vukicevic), Camaj (from 66' Popovic), Vujovic (from 58' Kucojevic), Badnjar; Radusinovic (from 58' Kostic), Jukic (from 46' Tesovic); Mravljevic (from 46' Vracar), Delic (from 58' Radojevic), Ljuljanovic (from 46' Osmajlic); Krivokapic (from 58' Pavicevic) Substitutes: Bobicic, Luka Coach: Slobodan Draskovic   Referee: Mattia Andruccioli Assistants: Francesco Mineo and Salvatore Tuttifrutti Fourth official: Raffaele Delvecchio Scorers: 13', 57' Krivokapic Booked: Mugosa, Valli Casadei

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