Football, Euro 2023: San Marino Under 21 falls with honor in Germany: 0-4
Last match of the calendar year in Germany, in Ingolstadt, for Costantini’s Biancazzurrini who chose three central defensive units to make density in the center and confirmed Tani in the median from the first minute. To Ciacci the task of linking the departments with Pancotti, the only tip. Hosts reduced by knockout 0-4 at home to Poland, which reopened all qualifying talks in the middle of the group.
The Titans approach very well, short and quick in the pressure on the bearer or in doubling in the lane. The quality of the players available to Antonio Di Salvo is apical and close to the quarter of an hour they place a tremendous double blow. To unlock the match is Thiaw, who had already gone close from a corner. On the development of another round of the flag, generated by a great closure of Rosti on Leweling, the cross of the same external attacker, extended in the area by Keitel, put him in the condition of having only to frame the goal from a short distance. Even more close to the goal line the doubling, which arises from a failure to advance by Tomassini who paves the way for Leweling, able to pocket for Burkardt’s movement. The German captain, in front of De Angelis, hits with the left-handed diagonal finding Shuranov attentive in the tap-in.
Germany returns to dangerous with Shuranov in the 21st minute, but Tomassini is punctual in closing in front of goal. Shortly after, on the continuation of an exit with the fists of De Angelis, a scrum is unleashed in the San Marino area resolved by the diagonal of Leweling – blocked to the ground by the San Giovanni goalkeeper. The Germans know no stops, but they are not infallible: a mistake by Bella Kotchap opens the San Marino restart, well orchestrated by Ciacci and Pancotti. Arrived at twenty meters, the Virtus midfielder was unable to unmark Pancotti in front of Mantl. Shortly before, a beautiful parade with De Angelis’ feet on Shuranov, triggered by Knauff.
The technical and athletic gap between the players on the pitch is revealed in the 34th minute, when Leweling throws the ball forward and climbs all the gears to propose a cross on the spot, only fouled by Franciosi. Burkardt has time and space to take aim, opening his right for a goal of power and precision that kisses the crossbar and inflates the net after hitting the ground. The hosts touched the fourth goal in the 39th minute, but first De Angelis then the post, denying personal joy to Bella Kotchap and Thiaw. On the continuation Knauff also tries, imprecise.
The Titans do not disdain offensive raids and after the yellow card collected willingly by Franciosi for a bad intervention on Burkardt, it is Rosti who accompanies the action and enters the German area. Well done the hosts to accompany Rosti in the flag area, where the rebound does not guarantee more than a throw-in. There is nothing else in the first half, which ends on a score of 3-0. On his return to the field Di Salvo spends two further changes, while Pancotti is stopped at the last minute by Thiaw while trying to get the ball forward with his heel on the trocar. The choices are confirmed at the start of the match by Costantini, who faces the second half with the same eleven parties in Ingolstadt.
The Biancoazzurrini confirmed the tactical application and the propensity to sacrifice shown in the first half, without suffering the German thrusts – neutralized with relative simplicity in the first ten minutes. In fact, there was a nice closure by Moretti and a header by Martel grabbed by De Angelis. In the minutes immediately before the hour of play, however, Germany is much more dangerous: Knauff makes the void to the right before turning to the center and looking for Becker. The rebound rewards Knauff again who does not frame the mirror on what was a penalty in motion. A minute later it is Franciosi and Tosi who save and free on the line, after Thielmann’s raid who adapts between De Angelis and Moretti to jump both of them and serve his captain, who tried to heel two meters from the goal. . The fourth goal arrives in the 62nd minute and bears the signature of Thielmann, in his second presence in the Under 21. A decisive factor is a ball recovered in midfield by Germany, who overturns the field with Leweling: Thielmann’s defeat was flawless, overtaking De Angelis with precision .
In the final twenty minutes, Germany is reflected in their qualities, to the limits of irreverence. The Titans raise their guard and grind their teeth, not at all afraid of sinking the tackle on the listed opponents who in the 70 ‘go close to the net with Bätzner. Served by captain Burkardt, he nocked from the edge of the small area hitting the big response from De Angelis. Attentive also Cecchetti, who anticipates Knauff who already anticipated the retort with an empty net.
The Germans pushed hard in the final to round off the score and almost failed to take advantage of Moretti’s friendly fire, who arrived ahead of Martel’s cross by svirgando with his left-handed. The ball touches the crossing and ends its run in a corner kick. In the final quarter of an hour, one chance on each side: Knauff must surrender to Matteoni’s great closure at the near post, while Cecchetti – in full recovery – gets to kick from 20 meters, after a nice ball recovered in the opposing half of the pitch by San Marino, hitting the support post to Mantl’s left. It ends 4-0, with what is the most contained passive among all the previous ones between the U-21 national teams of San Marino and Germany, the result of a performance of great competitive spirit and agreement of the San Marino citizens, who pay a couple of levies but come out each very high from Ingolstadt. Those who missed the second half without goals conceded by Israel will certainly not fail to note how in Germany the Biancoazzurri conceded only one goal in the second half, touching the point of the flag in the final. With the two leaders of the group facing each other in the same week, San Marino made an excellent figure and always closed in crescendo. There is some evidence to glimpse the goodness of the work set up for CT Costantini.
Euro U-21 2023, Qualification | Germany-San Marino 4-0
GERMANY
coat; Keitel (from 46 ‘Martel), Bella Kotchap, Thiaw, Katterbach (from 72’ Netz); Stiller (from 60 ‘Bätzner), Becker, Leweling; Schade (from 9 ‘Knauff), Shuranov (from 46’ Thielmann), Burkardt
Available: Philipp, Atubolu, Mai
Coach: Antonio Di Salvo
SAN MARINO
De Angelis; Rosti, Tomassini, Moretti, Franciosi (from 88 ‘Santi), Tosi; Tani (from 64 ‘Cecchetti), Matteoni, Dolcini (from 79’ Valentini); Ciacci (from 79 ‘Babboni), Pancotti (from 88’ Pasquinelli)
Available: Terenzi, Contadini, Sartini, De Biagi
Coach: Fabrizio Costantini
Referee: Ion Orlico (MDA)
Assistants: Vasili Ermischin (MDA) and Natalia Ceban (MDA)
Fourth Officer: Roman Jitari (MDA)
Scorers: 14 ‘Thiaw, 15’ Shuranov, 34 ‘Burkardt, 62’ Thielmann
Booked: Franciosi