Finally! San Marino Grab Nations League Win

San Marino have finally recorded their first competitive victory in football history, defeating Liechtenstein 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League’s fourth tier.

The win comes after 34 years of trying, marking a momentous occasion for the team ranked 210th and last in FIFA’s world rankings.

The decisive moment came in the 53rd minute when teenager Nicko Sensoli capitalised on a defensive mistake, calmly slotting the ball past Liechtenstein goalkeeper Benjamin Büchel. Earlier in the match, Liechtenstein’s Fabio Luque Notaro had a goal ruled out for offside and came close with a blocked effort just before Sensoli’s strike.

San Marino weathered a tense finish, enduring eight minutes of added time to secure the historic result. Celebrations erupted in Serravalle as the small republic surrounded by Italy savoured the long-awaited triumph.

Before this victory, San Marino had never won a competitive fixture since playing their first official match in 1990. Their only prior success was a 1-0 friendly win against the same opponents, Liechtenstein, in 2004 – a match played before Sensoli was even born.

The win also places San Marino at the top of their Nations League group, which also contains Liechtenstein and Gibraltar, adding further cause for celebration. Their competitive record had previously stood at zero wins, five draws, and 171 defeats.

Goalscorer Sensoli only made his debut for the San Marino senior national team on 20 March 2024 in a friendly against Saint Kitts and Nevis. He currently plays for FC Sangiuliano City, which is an Italian fourth-tier team.

Site Opinion

This is what the Nations League is all about – giving teams the chance to play countries of a similar size and actually get wins. San Marino have always been the whipping boys of European football, but with a population of just 33,000, they are tiny. Bear in mind, San Giuliano Milanese, the city in which Sensoli plays his fourth-tier football, has a population of 6,000 more!

His name will now become as well known as that of Davide Gualtieri the player who scored against England in 1993. It’s crazy that one goal can change a player’s life, and in San Marino, the youngster will always be a national hero. He’s already achieved more than Gualtieri in terms of his career – he’s played outside of his homeland.

What a great story this is to end the week on!

 


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