Under-21: Finland dominate in opening qualifier

Jacopo Casadei, Tamagnini, Riggioni, Zafferani, Protti, Bugli and Canarezza are the seven players who, in Matteo Cecchetti’s starting eleven, combine their first ever appearance with San Marino’s Under-21 debut in the new European cycle. The young Titani begin away to Finland, who shift into top gear right from the opening exchanges. A Ruoppi back-heel releases the overlapping Ylitolva, whose cross to the far post picks out Lӓhteenmӓki, first to the ball but off-balance when it comes to finishing. The move still earns applause from the big crowd at the Veritas Stadion. It further fires up the home side who, shortly afterwards, from a corner, again go close to making it 1-0: with his left, Liimatta picks out Hyrylӓinen’s head, the latter unmarked but unable to generate real power. A few minutes later, Zafferani is forced to commit a foul (and pick up a yellow card) on the edge of the box. The defender injures himself in the process, forcing Cecchetti into his first change of the evening. Valentini comes on in his place, another debutant. Siltanen takes the free-kick and crashes it against the underside of the bar: fortunately for the Titani, the ball bounces on, rather than over, the goal line. The Finnish monologue now becomes even more intense. And on 13 minutes the opening goal arrives: Svanbӓck, with a back-heel, releases Ruoppi in the heart of the area, and he has time to open up his body and guide the ball into a spot where Jacopo Casadei cannot reach. After the quarter-hour mark, the San Marino goalkeeper is decisive coming off his line against Söderbӓck, played through by another piece of inspiration from the ever-present Svanbӓck. On 20 minutes San Marino try to push up, but a turnover sparks a lightning-fast counter-attack from the hosts: Liimatta spots Svanbӓck’s run and, one-on-one with Jacopo Casadei, the forward beats the keeper’s rush with a clever toe-poke finish. It’s 2-0. Either side of the half-hour, a double save from Jacopo Casadei keeps the Titani afloat: first he tips away Siltanen’s shot from the edge of the area, then he rushes out again to deny Söderbӓck. From the continuation of the same move, the Biancoazzurrini are grateful for Liimatta’s wayward aim, as he curls the ball wide despite the goal being left unguarded. As the minutes tick by, Finland’s movement and tiki-taka become increasingly whirling and free-flowing. The consequence is that San Marino’s resistance comes under extreme strain. With worrying ease, Söderbӓck puts Liimatta in a position to finish in front of Casadei, who pulls off yet another superb stop. From the ensuing corner, once again Liimatta wriggles free in heavy traffic inside the box and shoots, only to be thwarted by another vital intervention from the San Marino keeper. This time, though, there is nothing he can do on 33 minutes to prevent Lӓhteenmӓki’s simple tap-in after a delightful one-two down the flank between Ylitolva and Söderbӓck. Shortly after, Ylitolva tears down the right flank yet again and cuts the ball back for Söderbӓck, who sets up Siltanen to strike with his right, only to find himself frustrated by Casadei’s reflexes. The latter then misjudges the timing of his rush off the line against the advancing Lӓhteenmӓki, who in turn wastes the chance by firing into the side-netting.

After the break, both coaches stick with the same players. And Finland stick with the same script. Four minutes in, from a free-kick routine, Söderbӓck picks out Ruoppi in the middle of the box; the forward aims for the bottom corner, but his effort takes a deflection that is unfortunate for him and a blessing for the Titani. On 51 minutes, Marco Gasperoni vehemently protests after being clipped in the penalty area. The referee allows play to continue and Finland break at pace, ending the move with a side-foot finish from Liimatta that drifts just wide. A few minutes later, a poor back-pass by Ylitova gifts San Marino a good opportunity: Canarezza manages to shoot but sends his effort over. With a brilliant one-handed save, Jacopo Casadei slams the door in Jansson’s face, but then he has to bow to two clinical finishes from Svanbӓck, supplied perfectly first by Liimatta and then by Ylitolva. It’s a hat-trick for the home side’s number 21, who soon after leaves the pitch to a standing ovation. In the meantime, there is still time for two more great saves from Jacopo Casadei, first from Hyrylӓinen and then from Naamo. Ezeh, recently introduced, also tests the reflexes of the San Marino keeper, who on 84 minutes has to blow hard to help the ball wide after a very risky – but ultimately crucial – touch from Bugli on a venomous cross from Ruoppi. Like Ezeh, Ulundu comes on eager to make an impact. Wearing number 7, after a powerful surge down the right flank, he is again denied by Jacopo Casadei. From the resulting corner, Ezeh goes for the bottom corner and almost finds it: his shot comes back off the post, hits Casadei on the back of the head and, luckily for the keeper, spins behind him but out for a corner. In the closing stages Finland do not take their foot off the gas; instead, they add to their tally. Ylitolva crowns his performance with a deserved goal of his own, side-footing home Ulundu’s inch-perfect cross. Jacopo Casadei makes one last save to deny Ruoppi, who had all but scored. But 7-0 does eventually come: Ulundu once more bursts away down the left and squares for Ezeh, who with the simplest of touches effectively puts the seal on the contest. On the San Marino side, there were also debuts for Arlotti and Molinari.

Under-21, European Championship qualifying | Finland v San Marino 7-0

FINLAND (4-2-3-1)

Jantunen; Ylitolva, Jansson, Lötjönen, Lӓhteenmӓki (60’ Naamo); Hyrylӓinen, Siltanen (75’ Kujasalo); Ruoppi, Svanbӓck (67’ Ezeh), Söderbӓck (60’ Ulundu); Liimatta (60’ Mentu)

Substitutes: Piispa, Ritari, Vaistö, Möller

Head coach: Mika Lehkosuo

SAN MARINO (3-4-2-1)

J. Casadei; Riggioni, Zafferani (12’ Valentini (77’ Ciacci)), Zavoli; Bugli, M. Casadei, Chiaruzzi, Tamagnini (67’ S. Gasperoni); Canarezza (67’ Arlotti), M. Gasperoni (77’ Molinari); Protti

Substitutes: Borasco, Renzi, Grandoni, Cervellini

Head coach: Matteo Cecchetti

Referee: Seth Galia (GIB)

Assistant referees: Michael Gerard Macias and Fausti Guerrero (GIB)

Fourth official: Timothy Reoch (GIB)

Booked: Zafferani, Riggioni, M. Casadei, Canarezza

Scorers: 13’ Ruoppi, 20’, 54’ and 63’ Svanbӓck, 33’ Lӓhteenmӓki, 87’ Ylitolva, 90’ Ezeh