Women’s Under-16: Titane give everything in their international ‘debut’

The first emotions had perhaps surfaced on the eve of the match, on their arrival at the Olympic Preparation Centre in Tirrenia – with all its charm – at the final training session in Dogana, or maybe even earlier, when the friendly against Italy’s Calcio+15 Selection was still just the topic of conversation, discussed on the pitch, in the dressing room, at home or at school. But there is no doubt that hearts began to beat faster – much faster – when the kit manager handed them their shirts and when the loudspeakers on Pitch 1 played the national anthems. That was the moment when the girls of the experimental Women’s Under-16 National Team, the very first women’s selection in San Marino football, truly experienced the atmosphere of an international match, as they wait to “get serious” in just over a month at the UEFA Development Tournament. That was one of the main reasons behind this trip, which also included Tamagnini and Stifani, despite their injuries, precisely to ensure that none of the girls in and around the National Team were left out of the stages – emotional ones too – of a journey that will lead the group to a historic debut on the European stage. Italy’s Calcio+15 Selection threaten first down the right flank. Rivieri bursts forward and reaches the penalty area, where Forcellini is ready in the one-on-one. The rebound falls to Fontana, who incredibly sends it wide. Forcellini is called into action again on 7 minutes: Marin pounces on the ball and tries to beat the San Marino goalkeeper, who once again slams the door shut. Shortly afterwards Rivieri breaks free again on the wing and shoots, but once more fails to catch out Forcellini, who this time even holds the ball with a diving save. On 9 minutes, from a similar position, Marin goes extremely close with a diagonal effort that crashes full on the post. It is something of a prelude to the Azzurre’s opener, which comes from a high press: Grilli finds herself in the perfect shooting position and rifles the ball under the crossbar, giving Forcellini no chance. But Piva’s keeper hits back in style with a huge save with her foot on Marin’s close-range effort on 13 minutes. There is also a slice of fortune when Marin, again, fails to convert from point-blank range after a perfect ball across from Fontana following a run down the wing. Rivieri makes no mistake on 22 minutes: after yet another save by Forcellini in a one-on-one, she latches onto the loose ball and, winning a rebound, rolls it into an empty net. Shortly afterwards it is Fontana’s turn to go through on goal from a superb ball over the top by Cacace: once again the San Marino goalkeeper comes out on top in the duel. On 26 minutes there is a counter by the Titane led by Benedettini: Andreangeli roars back like a train on Penserini and succeeds in halting the advance of the number 11 in white and blue, bringing to an end a transition that was becoming at the very least interesting. At the other end, a long ball from Messa sends Grilli clear in the box, but she mis-hits her shot at goal. The last snapshot of the first of the three periods is a coast-to-coast run from Terenzi who, exhausted (and also affected by a bout of fever that had caught her in the morning but had not stopped her), cannot quite find the right timing to release either of the two team-mates supporting her. Italy emerge from the first of the two breaks with an almost completely reshaped side. Piva, on the other hand, sends out the same eleven. The second period begins with the familiar high pressing of the Azzurre Selection, which is evaded on 4 minutes with a build-up from the back starting from the goalkeeper and, after a sequence of precise passes, ending at the feet of Terenzi, who immediately looks for Penserini in the box. The excellent collective move by the San Marino side is cut short by the raised flag of the second assistant, but the understanding, tempo and clean touches of the young Titane remain, now visibly more relaxed than before. Out of possession, meanwhile, their garra goes up a level, to the point that until the 11th minute Italy are limited to a right-footed effort from distance by Fontana, well struck but parried in a dive by the ever-alert Forcellini. There is nothing the San Marino keeper can do, however, about Rivieri’s moment of brilliance: meeting a high, looping ball from the defence first time, she finds the far corner to perfection, earning the applause of the supporters in the stand. Terenzi tries to respond with a right-footed shot from a very long way out after a nice move down the flank: there is plenty of courage in the number 10’s choice, but not enough venom in the strike. A long phase follows without major incidents, full of midfield battles and extremely focused defending. During this spell, Giacomo Piva gives minutes to Boscarol and Ragazzini in place of Carli and Terenzi. Fontana’s textbook header from a pinpoint Poggi cross finds the back of the San Marino net for what would be a fourth goal, but it does not count because the flag is up. The same fate befalls Poggi’s diagonal effort into the top corner at the end of the period. Again, an assistant’s flag wipes out a fine piece of play from the Azzurra. In between, there is another save by Forcellini on Poggi’s powerful close-range strike and the introduction of Della Valle for Penserini. The start of the third period also sees major changes in the Italian side, even in the colour of the shirt, which switches from the classic blue to red. Among the new faces is Sara Fabbri, a very familiar one to the San Marino players as she is part of the San Marino Academy Under-17 squad, the same one coached by Giacomo Piva. The Titane start well, immediately winning a corner through Benedettini. Yazici takes it, and the defence clears. Italy reply with a mishit from Di Perna in front of goal from an Oddina cross. The Italian number 9 will make amends when, on 13 minutes, she receives a ball in behind, evades the onrushing Forcellini and rolls it into the empty net. But the San Marino goalkeeper will have her revenge three minutes later: Ambrosi wins the ball back and slides in a perfect pass for Di Perna, who shoots with conviction but finds a tremendous save with the foot from Forcellini. In the continuation of the move, Ambrosi herself goes for goal with a diagonal effort that drifts just wide. Then the referee awards an indirect free-kick in the box: Oddina touches it off for Ambrosi, who goes for power but hits the wall. On 20 minutes Forcellini has to fly to turn away Ianniello’s curling right-footed strike before leaving her place between the posts to Mastronardi. The substitute immediately makes her mark with two difficult but highly effective interventions, the first of which is straight at the feet of Giovannini, whom the San Marino keeper does not even give time to realise she is alone in the area. The scoreline changes again on 90 minutes: Fabbri dribbles down the wing and lays the ball inside for Gullo, who has all the time she needs to place her shot inside the far post, out of Mastronardi’s reach. The Titane finish on the front foot. Drawing on her last reserves of energy, Benedettini wins a free-kick in the final third, which Terenzi stands over. The number 10 sends it in for Balsimelli, who times her run well out of the blocks and is only fractionally late in meeting her team-mate’s pass. It ends with the broad smiles of a team fully aware they have given everything and already eager to relive the intense emotions of another match wearing their country’s shirt. That will happen very soon – and this time in front of their home crowd.

---

Women, Test Match | Italy Calcio+15 - San Marino U16 5-0 ITALIA CALCIO+15 Morando (from 31' Pezzi (from 61' Nan)); Cacace (from 31' Spagliardi (from 61' Fabbri)), Tesolin (from 31' Parolo (from 61' Pieri)), Messa (from 31' Quagliata (from 61' Magazzini)), Andreangeli (from 31' Oddina); Rivieri (from 46' Poggi), Pinchi (from 31' Galluzzi (from 61' Ianniello)), El Miroun (from 31' Krafia (from 61' Gullo)), Fontana (from 61' Giovannini); Marin (from 61' Di Perna), Grilli (from 46' Ambrosi) Head coach: Francesca Valetto   SAN MARINO U16 Forcellini (from 81' Mastronardi); Bonciucci, Paolini, Balsimelli, Carli (from 47' Boscarol (from 68' Carli)); Penserini (from 57' Della Valle (from 68' Terenzi)), Benedettini, Yazici, Bianchi, Terenzi (from 47' Ragazzini (from 68' Penserini)); Paone Substitutes: Stifani, Tamagnini Head coach: Giacomo Piva   Referee: Margherita Calvani (Prato) Assistant referees: Marta Petri and Anna Nanini (Lucca) Fourth official: Giulia Cioffi (Pistoia) Scorers: 10' Grilli, 22' and 41' Rivieri, 73' Di Perna, 90' Gullo

---