Women’s U19: Titane fall just short of comeback, goals from Paone and Benedettini

They threw in everything they had left and tried to climb a mountain of a match that, at one point, saw Cyprus leading 3-0. The Women’s Under-19s never gave up and lit up the closing stages of their final group game, hauling themselves back to 3-2: first through a stunning strike from Paone, then with a penalty from Benedettini earned by the returning Terenzi. Piva’s girls believed, and rightly so, but the final spark – the icing on the cake – never came. Cyprus win and thus “avenge” the outcome of the October friendlies (one lost and one drawn by Sofokleous’ team), finishing Group B1 in third place and leaving San Marino in fourth. But in the end a shower of applause still rains down from the stands in Acquaviva. Fully deserved: once again the Titane played with real heart, turning the final act of their group campaign into a crescendo. This spirit will be the starting point for preparing the next challenges.

Compared to the Slovenia game there are two changes in the starting XI, as head coach Piva brings in Moroni and Lonfernini. Captain Benedettini starts in midfield, while Paone shoulders the weight of the attack. Just like on Monday, this match is unlocked at the very first opposition thrust. Eleftheriou combines in midfield with Mylona and then releases the run of Mesolongitou, who drives into the box from the inside-left channel and beats Forcellini with a close-range finish. It is Cyprus’ first goal of the group. Georgiou and Mylona both try to add a second from distance, but their efforts are optimistic. Far more dangerous is Matsoukari with a right-footed effort from the edge in the 27th minute (Forcellini holds), and especially with her diagonal shot in the 28th: Forcellini is beaten, but the ball drifts just wide. The first half moves towards its latter stages without further shocks. Another burst from Matsoukari causes problems for the Biancazzurre back line. The Cypriot forward beats Forcellini to the ball and squares it across goal, but Mylona cannot turn it in, thanks to close attention from Paolini. However, the resulting corner brings Cyprus their second. Georgiou delivers, Matsoukari times her leap to perfection and plants her header beyond Forcellini’s reach.

Forcellini can intervene – and how – on Mesolongitou’s header that opens the chances in the second half: a superb leap from the San Marino keeper, turning a likely third goal into a mere corner. Cyprus, though, do not loosen their grip. Within a minute, 3-0 arrives – again from a corner. This time Eleftheriou takes it: Forcellini comes out but cannot reach the ball, also impeded by Matsoukari; behind her, Mesolongitou appears and taps in for her personal brace. On 56 minutes Mylona goes through one-on-one and aims a right-footer, but finds a brilliant save from Forcellini, who then also foils the follow-up effort from Tsoukka. The Titane push up and, at their first real chance, they score. It all begins with a throw-in. At the edge of the box, Benedettini fails to bring the ball under control and it rolls into the path of Paone: the number 9 needs no second invitation and unleashes a right-footed strike that crashes into the top corner. It is her first goal for the National Team in an official match. Cyprus immediately try to douse the hosts’ renewed fire. Forcellini comes off her line with perfect timing to deny Mylona after the latter had beaten two players on the byline. Then the defence survives with difficulty on a wicked cross from Matsoukari that neither Mylona nor Mesolongitou can turn into gold. Mylona goes solo again on 76 minutes: a left-footed strike from the edge that deflects off Moroni’s back and turns venomous, just shaving the crossbar. For once, Arianna Forcellini can be calmer on the next effort from the centre forward a few minutes later: this time the shot flies well over. So the Titane keep believing they can get back into it. And they do so on 82 minutes, when Michail barges into Terenzi (on the pitch for around ten minutes and making her debut in this home mini-tournament) right after Tsoukka’s attempted clearance had smacked against her own crossbar. Penalty, which is entrusted to Anna Benedettini. Her right-footed effort is surgical: low into the corner, a second goal in as many games for the Biancazzurre captain and the contest is officially wide open again. Now the Titane really believe in the equaliser. Cyprus try not to be pinned back, but their response amounts only to a tame right-footed shot from Michail from outside the area, which Forcellini gathers without trouble. On the other side of the pitch, Benedettini has one last go, again from a dead ball. Not a penalty this time, but a free-kick a few metres in from the touchline: she strikes it with power and the ball dips towards the far top corner, but just a fraction later than the number 7 would have liked. In the meantime, Della Valle also comes on, replacing Ragazzini. The two sides keep battling to the end, but ultimately Cyprus prevail, edging – not without suffering – the head-to-head for third place, while the other head-to-head, between group leaders Slovenia and Estonia, goes to Slovenia by a 5-0 scoreline.

Women’s Under-19 European Qualifiers | San Marino 2-3 Cyprus

SAN MARINO (5-4-1)

Forcellini; Stifani, Moroni, Paolini, Carli, Zammarchi; Ragazzini (84’ Della Valle), Benedettini, Balsimelli, Lonfernini (71’ Terenzi); Paone

Substitutes: Mastronardi, Bonciucci, Penserini

Head coach: Giacomo Piva

CYPRUS (4-3-3)

Hadjichristodoulou; Michail, Fotiu, V. Vlachou (74’ Solonos), Ellina; Tsoukka, Georgiou, Eleftheriou; Matsoukari, Mylona, Mesolongitou (74’ Epaminonda)

Substitutes: Konstantinidi, K. Vlachou, Chrysanthou, Christoforou, Louca, Tsiola, Holmes

Head coach: Savvas Sofokleous

Referee: Kristina Kozoroh (UKR)

Assistant referees: Iryna Chaika (UKR), Laura Dugandžić (BIH)

Fourth official: Anna Frazza (ITA)

Scorers: 2’ and 49’ Mesolongitou, 38’ Matsoukari, 60’ Paone, 82’ (p) Benedettini

Booked: Matsoukari, Tsoukka

Attendance: 60