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Slovenia national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Mar 26, 2023 at 5pm UK
Arena Petrol
San Marino national football team

Slovenia
2 - 0
San Marino

Sesko (56'), Di Maio (60' og.)
FT(HT: 0-0)

D'Addario (45'), Fabbri (54'), Costantini (65'), Franciosi (78')

Preview: Slovenia vs. San Marino - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Euro Champ Qualifying clash between Slovenia and San Marino, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Slovenia have a fantastic opportunity to continue their perfect start to their Euro 2024 qualification campaign when they host San Marino at Stozice Stadium on Sunday evening.

The hosts have not conceded a goal against the visitors in the five previous meetings between the two sides, most recently running out 4-0 winners in a friendly back in October 2020.


Match preview

Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek before the match on March 29, 2022© Reuters

Slovenia are undefeated in their last seven matches as a result of a strong finish to their UEFA Nations League group, defeating Norway and drawing away at Sweden to avoid relegation from League B.

After impressing at times in the Nations League, Kekci are now tasked with qualifying for the Euros for just the second time, last reaching the tournament back in 2000, exiting at the group stage.

The last time the side now managed by Matjaz Kek managed to reach a major tournament was in 2010, but they again could not make it out of their groups, despite a spirited showing, picking up four points in a World Cup group containing England, USA and Algeria.

In friendly matches against Romania and Montenegro back in November, Slovenia picked up two wins, and they managed to continue that form into their first qualifying match for the Euros, picking up an important 2-1 win away at Kazakhstan.

Maksim Samorodov opened the scoring for the hosts, but second-half goals from David Brekalo and Zan Vipotnik secured all three points for the visitors in the first ever meeting between the two sides.

San Marino manager Fabrizio Constantini on September 26, 2022© Reuters

Given that San Marino have a population of around 33,000, it is no surprise they have never managed to qualify for a major international tournament, currently sitting bottom of the FIFA rankings, in 211th place.

La Serenissima have never won a competitive fixture, with a 1-0 friendly victory against Liechtenstein in 2004 remaining their sole victory, but since the UEFA Nations League was founded, they have, at the very least, managed to have some more competitive games.

While they did not manage to pick up any points in their most recent Nations League group, Fabrizio Constantini's side went close in a 1-0 defeat away at Malta last June, and they have also recorded some positive results in friendly matches.

San Marino drew 1-1 away at Saint Lucia in November, with Lorenzo Lazzari firing home a stoppage-time equaliser, the nation's first goal since Filippo Fabbri managed to score against Lithuania in March 2022.

Last time out, La Serenissima thought they had scored against Northern Ireland, but Nicola Nanni's second-half effort was ruled out for offside, meaning their opponents held on for an otherwise routine 2-0 victory.

Slovenia Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Slovenia form (all competitions):


San Marino Euro Champ Qualifying form:


San Marino form (all competitions):



Team News

Slovenia head coach Matjaz Kek pictured on June 5, 2022© Reuters

Miha Blazic was forced off after less than five minutes against Kazakhstan, with the Slovenia centre-back suffering what appeared to be a hamstring injury, so Brekalo is likely to slot in next to Jaka Bijol in defence.

After being introduced as a second-half substitute last time out, Vipotnik netted a late winner for Kekci, so Kek may choose to reward the striker with a start, partnering Benjamin Sesko in attack.

While his goal ultimately did not stand, Nanni displayed his attacking threat against Northern Ireland on Thursday, but San Marino manager Constantini may have to do without the striker, as he was withdrawn late on in the game after suffering an injury.

In the 22-year-old's absence, veteran striker Matteo Vitaioli could come into the attack, partnering Filippo Berardi, who managed to score La Serenissima's only goal in their Euro 2020 qualification campaign.

Slovenia possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Karnicnik, Brekalo, Bijol, Balkovec; Stojanovic, Cerin, Stankovic, Verbic; Sesko, Vipotnik

San Marino possible starting lineup:
Benedettini; Fabbri, Di Maio, Rossi, Palazzi; Battistini, Golinucci, Capicchioni, Lazzari; Vitaioli, Berardi


SM words green background

We say: Slovenia 5-0 San Marino

Slovenia have won every one of their previous meetings with San Marino, and there is seemingly no real chance of that run coming to an end on Sunday, particularly given how well they played in the second half against Kazakhstan.

Kekci have always won by at least a four-goal margin when they have faced La Serenissima at home in the past, and so we expect them to win by a similar scoreline this weekend.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Slovenia vs San Marino

Slovenia
83.6%
Draw
6.0%
San Marino
10.4%
67
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Cyprus Cyprus00000
2 Georgia Georgia00000
3 Norway Norway00000
Q Scotland flag Scotland00000
Q Spain Spain00000

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France00000
2 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar00000
3 Greece Greece00000
Q Netherlands Netherlands00000
5 Ireland Rep. Ireland00000

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England00000
Q Italy Italy00000
3 Malta flag Malta00000
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia00000
5 Ukraine Ukraine00000

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Armenia Armenia00000
Q Croatia Croatia00000
3 Latvia Latvia00000
Q Turkey Turkey00000
5 Wales flag Wales00000

Group E

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Q Albania national flag Albania00000
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic00000
3 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands00000
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova00000
5 Poland Poland00000

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria00000
2 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan00000
Q Belgium Belgium00000
4 Estonia Estonia00000
5 Sweden Sweden00000

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bulgaria Bulgaria00000
Q Hungary Hungary00000
3 Lithuania Lithuania00000
4 Montenegro Montenegro00000
Q Serbia Serbia00000

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark00000
2 Finland Finland00000
3 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan00000
4 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland00000
5 San Marino flag San Marino00000
Q Slovenia Slovenia00000

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Andorra flag Andorra00000
2 Belarus Belarus00000
3 Israel Israel00000
4 Kosovo flag Kosovo00000
Q Romania Romania00000
Q Switzerland Switzerland00000

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina00000
2 Iceland Iceland00000
3 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein00000
4 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg00000
Q Portugal Portugal00000
Q Slovakia Slovakia00000


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