Under-21: Albania make the most of first half, Titans inches away from ending goal drought

A performance that grew in stature from the Under-21 National Team in the friendly test against Albania, who made the most of their attacking production in the first half but were often exposed to the Titans’ surges after the break. San Marino – dangerous on a couple of occasions even in the opening period – were again unable to find that goal which has been missing for far too long and which, this evening as on many previous occasions, they would thoroughly have deserved. Matteo Cecchetti starts Guidi, Dolcini and Mattia Sancisi from the 1st minute, all debutants; likewise, all ten players on the bench are making their first appearance for the Under-21s. On the other side, the attack features the Shpendi twins, Cesena prospects who also came through the San Marino Academy youth ranks. Referee is Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi, the first female referee to debut in men’s Serie A who, back in April 2021 in women’s Serie A, took charge of San Marino Academy v Hellas Verona, again at the San Marino Stadium. Right from kick-off it takes an immediate reflex save from Terenzi to keep the San Marino goal intact: the home keeper does brilliantly to deny a close-range header from Cristian Shpendi. San Marino reply in kind: a cross from Toccaceli and a header from Zannoni, who misses the far post by centimetres. Another move, another header, again from Cristian Shpendi, free to rise in the box but too tame with the finish: this time Terenzi is able to catch. San Marino threaten again from a corner, with Simoni misjudging his coming out and Zannoni instantly opening up his left foot, sending his effort just over the bar. Past the quarter-hour, Albania carve out the best chance of the match. Pajaziti drives through the middle and, with the tip of his boot, manages to poke the ball to Cristian Shpendi, who immediately lays it off to his brother Stiven: Terenzi is monumental in slamming the door in the Cesena forward’s face. The opener, which arrives on 21 minutes, also starts from Pajaziti’s boot: a switch of play to Mjaki, who measures a cross for Stiven Shpendi. His touch is almost imperceptible but enough to disrupt Terenzi’s intervention; a pinball situation ensues, with the ball cannoning off Avdiu’s leg before rolling into the net. Albania grow into the game and, on 29 minutes, are dangerous again through Cristian Shpendi, released in the box by Torraj but denied by another outstanding save from Terenzi. On 36 minutes Pajaziti goes it alone and, after yet another central surge, opens up his instep and places the ball where Terenzi, at full stretch, simply cannot reach. It is unquestionably the best spell for the young Eagles, who shortly afterwards make it three: this time it all starts from Smajli’s cultured right foot. He carries the ball to the edge of the area, checks onto his favoured foot and curls a looping, unstoppable strike beyond Terenzi. The scoreline is harsh – overly so – but San Marino do not lose heart. And on 40 minutes they are knocking at Simoni’s door again from a free-kick: Contadini delivers and finds Pasquinelli in the box, who rises superbly but cannot generate enough power with his header. Before the half-time whistle, though, another super save from Terenzi is required to thwart Stiven Shpendi, picked out in the area by a brilliant chipped ball from Pajaziti. Even that is not the end of it, because a minute later San Marino wobble from a short corner: Pajaziti works space for the cross and finds Arlind Kurti unmarked in the six-yard box, but the latter is incredibly off-balance at the moment of what should have been a simple tap-in. There are no sweeping changes for San Marino at the break, only a like-for-like switch between two debutants: Giambalvo replaces Mattia Sancisi. The Titans are hungry for a goal. They go looking for it on 61 minutes through a move involving two substitutes: Filippo Pasolini exchanges passes with Nicola D’Addario, who cuts inside onto his left and immediately goes for goal, but his shot lacks power. After the home bench appeals for a penalty for a robust shoulder charge by Mitaj on Toccaceli, San Marino go very close to 3-1 with a powerful but overly angled right-footed effort from Zannoni. In the meantime Cecchetti hands debuts to Nicolò Sancisi and Gatti, and later to Renzi and Sarti. On 77 minutes comes the clearest chance for San Marino, once again falling to Zannoni, who latches onto a half-clearance from the Albanian defence and aims for the near post, only to see his left-foot strike – almost a certain goal – deflected ever so slightly but decisively by Mitaj. Albania can only relieve the San Marino pressure on the counter-attack, and that happens in the closing stages. First Tomassini snuffs out a highly dangerous situation by beating Sulejmani to the ball in the six-yard area; then it takes a stunning intervention from Contadini to halt Pajaziti’s driving run with the ball, as he slaloms past opponent after opponent but is finally stopped by the San Marino captain at the critical moment. In between, a big chance for Sarti, released into space by Marco Pasolini and quick to pull the trigger, but his effort drifts just a hand’s breadth wide. It is the final attempt from an Under-21 National Team whose display is not reflected by the scoreline, and which approached this test with courage and boldness, especially after the interval. All valuable pointers for Cecchetti with an eye on the competitive fixtures worth three points that await in a few months’ time.  

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Under-21, official friendly | San Marino – Albania 0-3   SAN MARINO Terenzi; Tomassini, M. Pasolini, M. Sancisi (from 46' Giambalvo); Guidi (from 60' F. Pasolini), Toccaceli (from 73' N. Sancisi), Dolcini (from 82' Renzi), Contadini; Zannoni (from 82' Sarti), Pasquinelli (from 73' Gatti), Rastelli (from 60' D'Addario) Substitutes: Conti, De Biagi, Magnani Head coach: Matteo Cecchetti   ALBANIA Simoni (from 46' Demo); A. Kurti (from 81' Metalia), Alivoda, Mitaj; Mjaki (from 62' Hysaj), Avdiu (from 62' Boci), Torraj (from 81' Caushaj), Pajaziti, Smajli (from 46' R. Kurti); C. Shpendi (from 46' Isamili), S. Shpendi (from 62' Sulejmani) Substitutes: Lilo, Robi, Gjumsi, Kurtulan Head coach: Alban Bushi   Referee: Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi (ITA) Assistant referees: Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni (ITA) Fourth official: Laurentiu Ilie (SMR) Booked: Rastelli, Smajli, Pajaziti, Giambalvo Scorers: 21' Avdiu, 36' Pajaziti, 39' Smajli

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