Latest FIFA Rankings November 2014 – San Marino’s Delight

They have had to wait years for this day to come along, but after the astonishing 0-0 draw with Estonia two weeks ago, San Marino are officially no longer the (joint) worst team in world football.

That single result, coming against a team ranked 120 places higher than them, and not only that but coming in a regional qualifier rather than a friendly and being part of a strong confederation in UEFA, has seen San Marino’s points tally rocket from a stone cold zero up to the startling total of 55.

European Championships: San Marino 0-0 Estonia

Saturday 15th November 2014
European Championship Qualifying Group E
Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino

San Marino 0-0 Estonia

Oh my!  They’ve only gone and done it!  After thirteen and a half long years without a competitive point in either World Cup or European Championship qualifying, San Marino secured a stunning 0-0 draw against Estonia.  And stunning is the word, with Aldo Simoncini in goal earning the greatest of plaudits for his string of fine saves throughout, but with San Marino managing to provide something of a threat going forwards at times too, albeit an occasional and limited one.

Sadly only 759 lucky souls were in attendance to witness history being made, compared to the 5,700 who attended the 4-0 defeat to Switzerland last month.  But those who stayed away missed the gaining of San Marino’s first ever European Championship point coming at the 60th attempt; their only two previous competitive non defeats coming in World Cup qualification.  It is also just over a decade since they last tasted anything other than defeat in what is to date their only ever victory;  a 1-0 friendly win over Liechtenstein in April 2004.

European Championships Qualifier: San Marino v. Estonia

Saturday 15th November 2014
European Championships Qualifying Group E
Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino

San Marino’s latest Euro 2016 qualifier sees them facing an Estonia side who they only played once before; a mere 1-0 defeat in a 2002 home friendly in Serravalle.

Estonia currently sit 88th in FIFA’s world rankings (38th in Europe), while our heroes are of course still stuck at the bottom, or as FIFA prefer to call it, =208th.

Estonia began their campaign with an impressive late win over Slovenia in Tallinn, but since then have fallen to two defeats.  Baltic rivals Lithuania secured a late 1-0 win over their neighbours in October, while Wayne Rooney’s goal did the same for England in Tallinn a few days later.

Match Report: European Championship: San Marino 0-4 Switzerland

Tuesday 14th October 2014
European Championships Qualifying Group E
Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino

San Marino 0-4 Switzerland

A strong first half from the Swiss set them on their way to a predictably comfortable win in Serravalle over the Sammarinese boys in blue, who were missing top goal scorer Andy Selva to injury, replaced by Mattia Stefanelli. 

The win provided Switzerland with their belated first points of the group.  Coming into this game, Switzerland had suffered defeats to England, 2-0 at home, and Slovenia, 1-0 away.

But this was always going to be an easier task and two goals from Haris Seferovic in the opening 24 minutes meant that any fears of a shock result were well and truly dismissed early on.  A third was added before half an hour was up through Blerim Dzemaili and a fourth in the second half from Xherdan Shaqiri to garner Switzerland’s first points and drag them clear of San Marino at the bottom – a situation that was never likely to last for long.