They nearly scored! But didn’t. Poland 5-0 San Marino

26^th March 2013

Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw

World Cup Qualifier – Poland 5-0 San Marino

A glance at the scoreline suggests the usual surrender to a stronger team, albeit with the goals account count not getting as high as might have been feared.

But behind the scoreline there were a few incidents of real note for San Marino.  Firstly, Aldo Simoncini in goal made several decent stops, a couple of which were in the firsts 10 minutes alone.  And secondly, a last minute breakaway saw Danilo RInaldi clean through on goal with only Artur Boruc to beat, and a chance to make a piece of Sammarinese footballing history.  

Poland v. San Marino - 26th March

26^th March 2013

Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw

World Cup Qualifier

Poland v. San Marino

Next in line to give San Marino a tonking is a Poland team reeling from a disappointing home defeat to Ukraine last Friday which saw them drop to fourth place in the table and leaves their hopes of reaching the World Cup teetering on the brink.

A Good Old-Fashioned Thrashing - San Marino 0-8 England

Let’s just say that San Marino were lucky that England didn’t score more than eight.  To say that this could easily have been ten or more is quite an understatement.  Thankfully for San Marino, England had half an eye on the job they need to do in Montenegro on Tuesday; various changes through the second half to rest players for that game easing things off somewhat.

Not even on this occasion could we even cling on to the faint hope of holding out for 30 or more minutes and frustrating the opposition; a twelfth minute own goal from Alessandro Della Valle starting off the scoreboard operator’s busy night.  But also not even the normal late collapse as tiredness set in.  The collapse had come long before that and England, even though they needed a good goal difference boost, were more than happy with their lot to not need a late push for more.

San Marino back in action against England

22nd March 2013 - World Cup Qualifier
Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle
San Marino v. England

It’s time for more World Cup qualifiers in Europe and that means San Marino are back in action again, hosting England in Serravalle on Friday before a trip to Poland next week.  For England it’s a guaranteed three points ahead of their big match with Montenegro next Tuesday, but for San Marino it’s a chance to be noticed on the big stage, and to do all they can to avoid a huge score.

Keeping it tight for as long as possible is the only approach here, and trying to frustrate England as much as they can.  San Marino will tire, and England will win, so the only question is how many San Marino can contain them to.  

December 2012 Rankings

Two more defeat for San Marino and Bhutan means no movement in the latest World Rankings for our three World’s Worst.  And with no planned action for any of them until March, when San Marino play two World Cup qualifiers, there will be no ranking movement for a little while.

Montenegro 3-0 San Marino - November 2012

14^th November 2012

Stadion Podgorica

Montenegro 3 San Marino 0

Far from the beating we’d feared for San Marino, a 3-0 defeat represents something of a triumph for our boys in blue against the team now installed at the top of group H (although they are the only team to have had the pleasure of playing San Marino twice so far).

Thailand 5-0 Bhutan - November 2012

14^th November 2012

Rajamangala National Stadium, Bangkok

Thailand 5-0 Bhutan

Thailand showed no mercy to Bhutan in this one sided match, with the magnificently named Apipoo Sunthornpanavei scoring twice in the first 5 minutes to effectively end this contest before it had even begun.  That’s not to say that Bhutan didn’t have a few chances of their own, but sadly couldn’t convert.

November 2012 - Latest Rankings and Looking Ahead

With San Marino’s two latest defeats being the only action for us, there are no changes at the foot of the World Rankings.  So San Marino, Bhutan and Turks & Caicos remain the three worst teams in the world.

Next month sees action for two of our teams however, so two opportunities for ranking points.  San Marino continue their World Cup odyssey with a trip across the Adriatic to Montenegro and Bhutan are back in action with a friendly match in Thailand.

Hopes are not high.

14^th November 2012

Bangkok, Thailand

Thailand v. Bhutan

Bhutan see their first action in almost a year when they travel to Bangkok to face Thailand. 

Thailand currently sit 152^nd in the world rankings, worryingly low for them but comfortably ahead of Bhutan.  Indeed this is Thailand’s worst ever world ranking, so they will be hoping for a comfortable win to start their climb back up the table.

Bhutan surely only represent whipping boys in this one; an easy opponent to get Thailand’s form going again ahead of the AFF Suzuki Cup tournament Thailand are hosting later in the month against the cream of South East Asia.

14^th November 2012

Podgorica, Montenegro

Montenegro v. San Marino preview

San Marino are back in World Cup action this week with the return match in Montenegro after the 6-0 drubbing in Serravalle in September.  Any improvement on that score would be a pleasant bonus.  Anything more than that is simply ludicrous.

 

San Marino 0-2 Moldova - October 2012

16th October 2012 - World Cup Qualifier
Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle
San Marino v. Moldova

Ah the agony!  With 20 minutes remaining, San Marino were well and truly in this one with the scores still at 0-0.  A famous draw was so close you could almost touch it.

But the final twenty minutes told a familiar tale.  As with the England match last week it took a penalty to break the deadlock, on this occasion substitute Serghei Dadu scored within a minute of coming on the pitch.

San Marino v. Moldova Preview - October 2012

No rest for the wicked as San Marino are playing again on Tuesday in a home tie against Moldova.  On paper this represents San Marino’s best prospect of avoiding defeat in this campaign, Moldova being significantly weaker than any of the other countries in the group. 

Weak they may be, but they are still vastly superior to San Marino sadly, so when I say “best prospect” it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.  It’s all relative.  Moldova are currently 141^st in the world which makes them one of Europe’s weakest, but still quite a bit higher up than San Marino.

So dare we hope for a Samarinese goal, or whisper it quietly, even a draw?  Everything is crossed hoping for a big performance from the boys in blue.

England 5-0 San Marino - 12th October 2012

12th October 2012 - World Cup Qualifier
Wembley Stadium, London
England 5-0 San Marino

Well that wasn’t as bad as might have feared.  Holding out for half an hour, and even then only conceding to a penalty, is not so bad.   

Two down at the break, and five overall away to England is about as good as San Marino could really expect.

So frankly, I’m chalking this one down as a decent result for San Marino.  Naturally there was no threat whatsoever going forward, and endless calls of “they shouldn’t be here” by the English media and pundits, but there you go. 

England v. San Marino Preview

San Marino are back in World Cup action with two fixtures this week, a trip to Wembley followed by Moldova at home.  

No meeting with England would be complete without a mention of David Gualtieri’s 8 second goal (still the fastest ever World Cup goal) in a 1993 qualifier, which ended 7-1 to England.  The match in Wembley during that campaign finished 5-0 to England which is quite respectable for the Samarinese and a repeat of that would be something of a feat for them.

Of course this match does give rise to the clichéd bores to go on and on about how San Marino are a joke and shouldn’t be there etc. etc. 

Montserrat No Longer Worst In The World!! - October 2012

Confirmation came today in the latest FIFA rankings that Montserrat have finally climbed off the bottom of the world rankings, following their stunning 7-0 win over the British Virgin Islands last month.  That lone victory, a first in 18 years has earned Montserrat an incredible 66 ranking points and resulted in a climb up to 181^st place in the current rankings table, a climb of 25 places.  Utterly astonishing.

Nobody has been stuck at the foot of the rankings as long as Montserrat who have been there since July 2006 (and only off the bottom then thanks to new nations coming along).  Quite how we’re going to cope without them I just don’t know.  

Still firmly in last place are San Marino, Bhutan and Turks & Caicos Islands, of which only San Marino are in regular action.  Don’t expect any of those to be going anywhere anytime soon.