Under 21 football, Euro 2023: San Marino ko in Poland 3-0
For the fourth match of the qualifying round at Euro 2023, as announced on the eve, Fabrizio Costantini changes more than something in his starting 11 compared to the match against Latvia. The anti-Poland formation presents the novelties De Angelis, Moretti, Dolcini and Rosti. Forced the resignation of Rastelli, disqualified.
The 4162 spectators present at the Kielce stadium immediately tried the hosts, who poured forward but made many mistakes. In this way the San Marino national team controls Poland’s initial outbursts well, even daring an extremely high pressure. This strategy allows the Biancoazzurrini to reach the opposite side immediately: on 3 ‘the goalkeeper Mizsta, disturbed by Simone Santi, shoots the ball directly into the stands; from the throw-in that follows Rosti earns the bottom and goes to the cross, but the measure is wrong.
These are clear signs of courage and personality on the part of the young Titans, who at 7 ‘, again thanks to high pressure, take home the first corner. The Polish defense, taking advantage of the generous doses of kilos and centimeters, resolves the fray, but not without some trouble. Shortly after, the first real blast of Stolarczyk’s formation: a quick and precise triangulation on the right sector free to shoot in the center of the area Bogusz, who seeks glory at the near post finding instead a prodigious intervention by De Angelis. Which must also be repeated on the consequent corner: Bejger takes the time and with his head tries to put the ball under the crossbar, but the shot of the kidneys of the number 12 strangles the scream in the throat of the home defensive center.
At 23 ‘another job for the San Marino goalkeeper, who flies in good style to defuse the left-handed from the edge of Wędrychowski. Bogusz’s effortless shot (easily blocked by De Angelis) is all that the white-blue national team concedes until the 29th minute. In this lasso, however, the bad news is Simone Santi’s injury, which forced him to leave the pitch for Toccaceli. A minute after the half hour, however, the cold shower arrives: Bogusz is the fastest to put his foot on a ball that has remained wandering in the blue-white area, and the dirty shot of the number 10, deflected in addition, mockingly slips into the low corner.
Mocking, because up to that moment the teams of the white and blue national team had been compact and tidy, risking the minimum and almost always forcing Poland to play forced, full of errors. And the conduct of Costantini’s boys continues unchanged even after the blow suffered: indeed, at 32 ‘Ciacci (who in the meantime has become the first striker) is good at a free kick from the three-quarters that Moretti kicks with power trying to directly conquer the goal: the blow of The right neck of the San Marino captain ends, however, a few meters away from the mirror. Shortly after, Pancotti’s escape on the left to lead a 2 on 3 counterattack: the San Marino number 11 jumps over yet another opponent and puts a cross that, deflected, ends right between Miszta’s gloves. But it is a further sign that the San Marino national team has not lowered its head at all after the goal: Costantini, satisfied, applauds.
On the other hand, a new danger originates from a personal initiative by Kamiński, who focuses from the left and releases a powerful shot on which De Angelis does not dare to take. Poland remains pressing on the second ball, but also this time the white-blue national team does not lose its calm and unravels with personality. What’s more: the Titans also offer a prompt reply. Rosti and Santi are shot down simultaneously at the top of the penalty area: punishment for a left-handed like Pancotti, whose rainbow goes not too far from the distant intersection. On the other hand, Bogusz’s insertion and strangled destroyed, but the attempt by the goalkeeper does not create problems for De Angelis.
Upon returning from the locker rooms, the novelty in the San Marino eleven is Contadini instead of Rosti. The new encounter is placed on the left, diverts Franciosi on the lane. The Titans try to bite the game, but the first acute of the recovery comes from the edge of the De Angelis area: Żurawski dribbles and kicks on the fly with his left-handed, forcing the San Marino extreme to a reply with his fists, not prohibitive in truth. The pressure of the hosts increases significantly in the following minutes and in the 52nd minute De Angelis has to put his gloves between Szymczak’s feet to prevent the latter from hitting the net from inside the small area: choice of courage, that of the goalkeeper San Marino, replicated by the fact that the second attempt by the Polish striker, the quickest to return to the ball, is resolved with a shot widely outside the mirror. At 55 ‘another tile for the guests: Pancotti must surrender to an injury; in its place, inside Cecchetti.
San Marino returns to be seen forward with a long-range shot by Contadini, widely oversized. Now, however, fatigue emerges clearly among the Titans, who are unable to get out of the opposing pressure, more and more insistent. At 57 ‘De Angelis is ready for Szymczak’s attempt in the area, but a few minutes later the San Marino goalkeeper can do nothing on Kamiński’s right-footed shot, simply perfect: ball hitting the base of the far post and rolling inexorably into the net . Shortly after, Poland very close to the trio again with Kamiński, who shows up only in front of De Angelis and tries to place the ball in the same spot as before, this time wrongly aiming. Then the San Marino goalkeeper has to put another very important piece on Bogusz’s close missile. The result is a corner on which Bejger finds the winning turn: the ball falls from the near post onto the far one and 3-0 Poland.
There are no more strength to overturn the shares, but the last twenty minutes are of orderly resistance, only slightly cracked by Benedyczak’s attempt in the area, on which De Angelis responds once again in a great way, and on Bejger’s gored, to hunting for the brace but imprecise on the corner. Unfortunately Costantini also has to record the third injury of the evening, because Toccaceli declares forfeit at 85 ‘- he who had taken over Santi for the same reason – and leaves room for Nanni, just as the exhausted Ciacci does for Pasquinelli. The long away match of the Biancoazzurrini, divided between Latvia and Poland, therefore ends with an excellent test against one of the favorites of the group. Now a month at their disposal to prepare the home match against Israel.
all the scoresheet
POLAND [4-3-3]
Miszta; Gruszkowski, Bejger, Nawrocki, Karbownik; Żurawski (from 74 ‘Kubica), Cziż (from 55’ Poręba), Bogusz; Wędrychowski (from 60 ‘Szelągowski), Szymczak (from 60’ Benedyczak), Kamiński (from 74 ‘Młyński)
Available: Trelowski, Majchrowicz, Szcześniak
Coach: Maciej Stolarczyk
SAN MARINO [4-1-4-1]
De Angelis; Moretti, F. Santi, Tomassini, Franciosi; Matteoni, Rosti (from 46 ‘Contadini), Dolcini, Ciacci (from 84’ Pasquinelli), Pancotti (from 55 ‘Cecchetti); S. Santi (from 26 ‘Toccaceli (from 84’ Nanni))
Available: Colonna, Valentini, De Biagi, Babboni
Coach: Fabrizio Costantini
Referee: Nikola Popov (BUL)
Assistants: Georgi Doynov and Ivo Kolev (BUL)
Fourth Officer: Volen Chinkov (BUL)
warn you: Moretti, S. Santi
Markers: 29 ‘Bogusz, 61’ Kamiński, 66 ‘Bejger