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

Sitting at the foot of FIFA's world rankings, San Marino will be hoping to avoid another humiliating defeat when Slovenia visit Serravalle in Euro 2024 qualifying on Sunday.

Unsurprisingly, San Marino also find themselves rock bottom of Group H without a single point to their name, while third-placed Slovenia sit two points shy of group leaders Finland.

Match preview

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San Marino endured yet another thrashing at the hands of Denmark on Thursday, seeing just 14% possession while facing a barrage of 32 shots in Copenhagen, so
Fabrizio Costantini's men can count themselves fortunate to have only lost 4-0.

After suffering 2-0 defeats against Northern Ireland and Slovenia in their opening Euro 2024 qualifiers, La Serenissima were beaten 3-0 by Kazakhstan before experiencing a 6-0 mauling against Finland, with Daniel Hakans netting a hat-trick in Helsinki.

Following Thursday's thrashing, San Marino have conceded 17 goals without reply across five losses in Group H, meaning that FIFA's lowest-ranked team possess the worst record in Euro 2024 qualifying.

In fact, La Serenissima have lost 80 of their 81 European Championship qualifiers over the years, picking up a solitary draw along the way, with a whopping 357 goals conceded and just eight scored in that time.

Given that San Marino have only managed to win one of their 201 matches since forming in 1986 - suffering 191 defeats in the process - Costantini's side look destined to endure another difficult evening when Slovenia visit the microstate.

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After taking one point from a possible six during the previous international break, Slovenia would have been eager to reignite their qualifying campaign as quickly as possible, and the revival started with a 4-2 victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday.

The Slovenians found themselves 3-1 up at the break last time out, courtesy of goals from Andraz Sporar and Benjamin Sesko, in addition to an own goal from Jonny Evans, while Sporor scored his second and his team's fourth in the second half.

Matjaz Kek's men kicked off their qualification journey with wins over Kazakhstan and San Marino, but they hit a bump in the road back in June, suffering a 2-0 defeat against Finland before drawing 1-1 with Denmark.

However, thanks to Thursday's triumph over Northern Ireland, Slovenia find themselves level with second-placed Denmark on 10 points in Group H, with Finland sitting just two points clear of the chasing pack at the summit.

The Slovenians have not qualified for a European Championship since Euro 2000, but the current crop of players are in a strong position to end the nation's lengthy wait for a major-tournament appearance.

Team News

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San Marino manager Fabrizio Costantini utilised a 3-5-2 formation against Denmark on Thursday, with Simone Franciosi, Roberto Di Maio and Dante Rossi occupying the centre-back spots.

Twenty-one-year-old midfielder Lorenzo Capicchioni was tasked with fueling the engine room, while Alessandro Tosi and Manuel Battistini operated as wing-backs, attempting to offer attacking support to Fabio Tomassini and Luca Ceccaroli.

Veteran striker Matteo Vitaioli will be pushing for a start on Sunday after coming off the bench to earn his 85th cap in midweek, although the 33-year-old will struggle to enhance his tally of one international goal.

By contrast, Slovenia can call upon numerous big-name players, including Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak and RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko, who bagged a brace against Union Berlin last weekend.

Sesko will partner Panathinaikos striker Andraz Sporor in attack on Sunday, while Petar Stojanovic, Adam Gnezda Cerin, Timi Max Elsnik and Jan Mlakar are expected to operate in midfield in a 4-4-2 formation.

San Marino possible starting lineup:
Benedettini; Franciosi, Di Maio, Rossi; Battistini, Golinucci, Capicchioni, Lazzari, Tosi; Tomassini, Ceccaroli

Slovenia possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Karnicnik, Brekalo, Bijol, Janza; Stojanovic, Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar; Sporar, Sesko

We say: San Marino 0-4 Slovenia

With all due respect to San Marino, anything other than a high-scoring away win would be a big shock in Serravalle, so we expect Slovenia to cruise to a comfortable victory on Sunday.

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

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