Under-21s: Ireland make the most of the second half on a night of seven San Marino debuts

A very different Under-21 national team from the one seen in the first half of the European cycle welcomes the Republic of Ireland for the first time in its history. The many new faces in the squad are immediately reflected in the starting line-up: there are no fewer than four debutants in Matteo Cecchetti’s eleven: goalkeeper Battistini, Giacomo Benvenuti, Nicolò Chiaruzzi and Matteo Valli Casadei. By the final whistle, the total number of first caps will be seven. The Irish, second in the group and just one point behind Italy, set out with clear intentions from the start. Their intense pressing quickly earns a corner, from which Garcia McNulty, completely unmarked in the six-yard box, tries to direct a header on target; the outstretched foot of Giacomo Benvenuti proves hugely timely and deflects the ball into Vata’s path, where Battistini is called into his first save of the night to keep it at 0-0. The Boys in Green (though in white shirts this evening) keep up the siege, but the Sammarinese lines hold firm, as when Hodge drives into the area and drills in a low cross that a forest of Sammarinese legs manages to clear, albeit with a scare. The Irish captain once more tries to cause trouble on 11 minutes with one of his surges, but a handball in the control cancels the move: without it, he would have been clean through on Battistini. Shortly after, it is again Hodge who delivers a teasing cross for Springett, whose twisting header finishes wide. At the other end the Titani carve out an excellent transition, starting at the feet of Zannoni and continuing via D’Addario, before an inviting cross from Giocondi towards the many team-mates flooding the penalty area: Keeley reads it well and comes out at the right moment to snuff out the danger. On 17 minutes, a powerful recovery run from Zannoni draws applause from the home crowd: Springett had tried to make it a foot race, but could not get the better of the home number 10, who also wins a foul. Soon after, down the same flank, Ireland cleverly take a throw-in that catches the home backline off guard. Armstrong uses all his physical strength to hold off Matteoni and drive towards goal, only to be denied by Battistini with a sharp intervention off his line. The home keeper is called into action again to thwart Armstrong after a short back pass by Giocondi. Ireland stay camped in the final third and on 23 minutes they shoot again through Vata, after a clever back-heel from Hodge: Battistini is well placed and gathers comfortably. The deadlock is broken by the inevitable Hodge, who bursts forward from the three-quarter line and slips the ball to Moran on the edge of offside; Armstrong does the rest with a first-time swivel finish of a seasoned centre-forward. This time there is little Battistini can do. Armstrong is dangerous again when he latches onto a deep ball from Hodge: his movement in behind is excellent, the finish far less so, as his right-footed effort skews badly wide. But Ireland are not relying only on long balls. On 29 minutes, a quick, sharp exchange of passes sends Springett one-on-one with Battistini: the debutant goalkeeper has to excel once more, racing off his line, to block the close-range effort. From the resulting corner, Lawal climbs highest and powers a header towards the top corner: Battistini springs across like a cat to deny another chance to double the lead. After the half-hour, it takes a double ricochet (off Matteoni and then Giacomo Benvenuti) to keep the Sammarinese goal intact from Vata’s shot following a driving run down the flank by Springett. When the defenders or Battistini’s hands cannot intervene, the crossbar lends a hand: that’s what happens on 36 minutes, when Armstrong’s thumping header from the edge of the six-yard box crashes against the woodwork. After safely claiming Vata’s 25-metre free-kick, San Marino push forward from their own set piece. The ball is worked out to the right for Giocondi, who whips in a vicious cross, only just too long for the six team-mates who had burst into the box. The second half begins with no changes. Battistini’s fists immediately preserve the 1-0 scoreline, punching away Springett’s close-range effort at the end of a chaotic move in the Sammarinese area. Seconds later, Ireland are inches from 2-0 again with Vata’s point-blank strike, blocked by Zannoni; the loose ball falls to Armstrong, who heads over from inside the six-yard box, letting the young Titani off the hook. The visitors, however, are not unsettled by these missed chances. Their prolonged siege earns a free-kick on the edge of the area, which Vata hits straight: Battistini cannot hold it and Moran is on hand to tuck away the rebound. It is the start of a very difficult spell for the Titani. Within minutes, a huge gap opens up down the left for Healy, who drives into the box and picks out the ever-present Armstrong in the middle: the Irish striker’s lunging attempt throws Giacomo Benvenuti off balance, who can only divert the ball, helplessly, into his own net. On 62 minutes, Adaramola launches Springett, whose shot is blocked by the defence; the ball, though, bounces kindly into the path of Vata, who has no trouble tapping into an empty net. It is also time for the first substitutions. Matteo Cecchetti withdraws the Sancisi twins and sends on Zavoli and Giacopetti, the latter making his debut. In the meantime, Ireland make it 5-0 with Vata’s razor-sharp, inch-perfect strike from distance. Healy also tries his luck from outside the box: a thunderous effort, but just over. Dolcini, in the meantime, replaces Zannoni. Ireland keep to their attacking script, further increasing their lead with Okoflex’s fierce right-foot finish into the roof of the net after a wide one-two with Hodge. On 79 minutes, the young Biancoazzurri break promisingly: Chiaruzzi carries the ball up to the three-quarter line before spreading it wide to Tommaso Benvenuti, who delivers a dangerous low, driven cross, but Keeley comes out to claim. At the other end, Vata shifts through the gears down the flank and slides a ball in behind for Adaramola, whose cut-back finds Gilsenan arriving on cue: Battistini is equal to the 18-year-old’s effort. More debutants arrive from the Sammarinese bench: Casadei and Terenzi, replacing Chiaruzzi and Tommaso Benvenuti respectively. Ireland take their foot off the gas a little, only to suddenly spark back into life in stoppage time. Vata causes havoc in the area and then attempts an improbable shot from the by-line: the ball flashes right across the face of goal without a touch. The number 7 crowns his outstanding evening in the 92nd minute, getting a decisive touch on a goal-bound effort from Lawal following a corner. The Irish defender is distraught at having his goal “stolen” by his team-mate, but Ireland can still celebrate a win that keeps them on the heels of group leaders Italy, who in the meantime have beaten Lithuania in nearby Cesena. In the Sammarinese camp, there are a couple of days to recover before departure for Norway, who will host next Tuesday’s qualifier.

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Under-21, European Championship qualifying | San Marino – Republic of Ireland 0-7   SAN MARINO Battistini; G. Benvenuti, Matteoni, M. Sancisi (from 63' Zavoli); Giocondi, Valli Casadei, N. Sancisi (from 63' Giacopetti), Chiaruzzi (from 80' Casadei), T. Benvenuti (from 80' Terenzi); Zannoni (from 73' Dolcini), D'Addario Substitutes: Borasco, Famiglietti, Giambalvo, Pasolini Coach: Matteo Cecchetti   REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Keeley; Curtis (from 65' Grehan), Lawal, Garcia MacNulty, Adaramola; Hodge (from 75' Phillips), Healy; Springett (from 65' Okoflex), Moran (from 70' Gilsenan), Vata, Armstrong (from 65' O'Mahony) Substitutes: Brooks, O'Riordan, Murphy, Kavanagh Coach: James Crawford Referee: Viktor Kopiievskyi (UKR) Assistant Referees: Semen Shlonchak and Viktor Maytash (UKR) Fourth Official: Vitaliy Romanov (UKR) Booked: Adaramola, M. Sancisi, Matteoni, Vata, N. Sancisi, Terenzi, D'Addario Scorers: 25' Armstrong, 53' Moran, 57' own goal G. Benvenuti, 62', 64' and 90+2' Vata, 73' Okoflex

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