In the shadow of the Nations League A matches, Europe’s worst teams faced off in Division D. San Marino, who had waited 20 years for another victory at home, hosted Liechtenstein, who had not won in 39 years. The world’s worst team won for the second time in its history, beating Liechtenstein 1-0 with a goal from Nicko Sensoli.
San Marino won the second match in history
In the last update in July FIFA ranking San Marino held on to last place, 210th, while Liechtenstein was at the bottom of the second hundred, 199th. Both teams were placed in the same group in Division D of the Nations League, and a direct clash took place in the first round. San Marino and Liechtenstein entered the match in Serravalle as the two worst teams in the world at the moment. Liechtenstein has not won for 39 matches, and San Marino for… 20 years.
🇸🇲 San Marino – 140 matches without a win
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein – 39 matches without a winToday’s match between the two WORST TEAMS IN THE WORLD right now. No other teams have waited this long for a win. 😳 pic.twitter.com/cOdATZ21N9
— Cezary Kawecki | Football Statistics 📊 (@CezaryKawecki) September 5, 2024
The last and only victory in San Marino’s history was in April 2004. In front of their home crowd, they defeated… Liechtenstein 1-0. The winning goal was scored by Andy Selva, famous for his free kicks, the all-time leading scorer for the San Marino national team with eight goals – and the player with the third most appearances for “La Serenissima” – 73 matches between 1998 and 2016.
Since then, the San Marino have only drawn six times and lost 134 times. In the previous 205 official matches, they have lost 195 times and only managed to draw nine times. They have scored only 33 goals and conceded 824. We also once scored 10 goals against them during Leo Beenhakker’s time. Six of San Marino’s nine drawn matches have ended 0-0, and the most draws have been with Liechtenstein – twice.
On a day like today, but in 2004, San Marino, with this GOAL by Andy Selva, beat Liechtenstein 1-0 and achieved (so far) the only victory in its history. 🇸🇲⚽pic.twitter.com/anR2o8G1Np
— Fodboldworld (@fodboldword) April 28, 2023
Liechtenstein’s Black Series
Liechtenstein last won in October 2020, when they beat Luxembourg 2-1 away in a friendly match. Since then, they have recorded only five draws and 34 defeats in 39 consecutive matches. The Blue-Reds’ winless streak was extended to 40 as they lost 0-1 to San Marino in Serravalle.
Although the guests took the lead in the 30th minute with a goal by Fabio Luque-Notaro, it was disallowed after a VAR review. In the 53rd minute, the San Marino team scored and this time, Nicko Sensoli’s goal was found to be faultless. Ultimately, the hosts maintained their one-goal lead until the very end and ended a streak of 140 matches without a win.
San Marino scores a goal!
Nicko Sensoli scores for Liechtenstein ⚽ pic.twitter.com/3P80M3Xdno
— Polsat Sport (@polsatsport) September 5, 2024
Interestingly, the winner, Nicko Sensoli, was born in June 2005, more than 11 months after San Marino’s last victory. On September 10, the team led by Roberto Cevoli will play a friendly away to Moldova. Liechtenstein will play an away match against Gibraltar on September 8 in the second round of the Nations League.
It was for moments like these and matches “for something” that the Nations League was created.
fot. screen Twitter
