San Marino national team made the history by earning victory in the 20 years after beating Liechtenstein national team scoring 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League D Group 1 at Estadio Olimpico de Serravalle, Serravalle.
As FIFA’s lowest-ranked team, San Marino had only won once before, a 1-0 friendly victory over the same opposition in 2004. This win, however, marked their first-ever competitive victory. Nicko Sensoli, a 19-year-old midfielder who plays for Sangiuliano in Italy’s semi-professional fourth tier, scored the decisive goal in the 53rd minute with San Marino’s first shot on target.
Sensoli capitalized on a defensive error by Liechtenstein’s Sandro Wieser to tap the ball over goalkeeper Benjamin Büchel, sparking jubilant celebrations in San Marino. Despite an agonizing eight minutes of added time and intense late defending, San Marino held on to secure the long-awaited win, ending a 140-match winless streak.
The final whistle saw the entire San Marino bench rush onto the field in celebration, while some of Liechtenstein’s players collapsed in disappointment. The result improbably places San Marino at the top of their three-team Nations League group, with Gibraltar yet to play.
For a country of just over 30,000 people, surrounded by northeastern Italy, San Marino’s struggles have long been a symbol of footballing challenges. Despite being rooted to the bottom of FIFA’s rankings since November 2023, this victory stands as a moment of triumph in their difficult football journey.
Credit Photo : San Marino Team
