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

A prime opportunity for only a second-ever win in San Marino's history presents itself to the world's worst-ranked team on Tuesday, with fellow minnows Andorra paying a visit in a World Cup 2022 Qualifying dead rubber.

Both sides have already seen any fleeting qualification hopes dashed after 5-0 defeats on Saturday, with the hosts outclassed by Poland while Andorra were outgunned by England.

Match preview

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While goalkeeper Elia Benedettini may have been able to leave with his head held high after making eight saves against Poland, San Marino once again had very little to cheer in Warsaw as they succumbed to a second successive 5-0 defeat in Group I.

Cristian Brolli converted into his own net while Karol Swiderski, Tomasz Kedziora, Adam Buksa and Krzysztof Piatek netted in a straightforward success for Poland, with that result representing San Marino's 10th defeat in all competitions since holding Gibraltar to a goalless stalemate in the Nations League last year.

Unsurprisingly rock bottom of the rankings with zero points and just one goal to their name, the world's 210th-ranked nation will be glad to see the back of another doomed qualification campaign, but they must still navigate two daunting fixtures with Hungary and England next month.

San Marino have now shipped 29 goals at an average of over four per game in World Cup 2022 Qualifying, but their most recent home clash saw Nicola Nanni score a historic goal against Poland, and Tuesday's game - unlike their others in the group - is certainly not a foregone conclusion.

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After a fire at Andorra's national stadium was put out the day before the visit of England, their World Cup hopes were also extinguished, as the Three Lions - despite concerns over the state of the plastic pitch - marched to a romping 5-0 success.

Ben Chilwell, Bukayo Saka, James Ward-Prowse, Tammy Abraham and Jack Grealish all made the net ripple to appease the travelling fans as Andorra saw another qualification campaign end in tatters, but Koldo Alvarez's side will still want to bow out with their heads held high.

Boasting just three points from a possible 21 in Group G, the only objective left for fifth-placed Andorra is to ensure that they are not usurped by their midweek opponents, who can take confidence from the visitors' truly abysmal form on the road.

Indeed, Andorra have lost their last six away from home in all competitions - shipping at least two goals on each occasion - while they have only ever won two away games in their history, the most recent of which came against Liechtenstein in March 2018.

Andorra's only win of World Cup 2022 Qualifying came at home to San Marino back in September, though, as centre-back Marc Vales netted two quickfire goals in the 18th and 24th minute to set his side on their way to a 2-0 win in front of a 1,400-strong crowd.

Team News

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San Marino had to make do without star striker Nicola Nanni for the crushing defeat to Poland, but the 21-year-old is reportedly set for a swift recall to the team here.

Adolfo Hirsch could therefore drop out of the side after lasting just 45 minutes of the encounter on Saturday, while Andrea Grandoni may earn a start at left-back following an injury to Mirko Palazzi.

David Tomassini is also pushing for a recall to the first XI for the visit of Andorra, with Luca Censoni's midfield spot at risk after he was also hooked at half time at the weekend.

Andorra lost Christian Garcia and his replacement Ildefons Lima due to injury in the defeat to England, with the latter - now 41 - pulling up after a man 20 years his junior in Jadon Sancho burst past him in the second half.

However, the visitors' ranks will at least be boosted by the returns of Marcio Vieira, Moises San Nicolas and Albert Alavedra, all of whom served suspensions on Saturday evening.

Alavedra and San Nicolas could quickly be drafted back into the defence following Garcia and Lima's injuries, while 107-cap Vieira's experience ought to come in handy as he returns to the midfield.

San Marino possible starting lineup:
Benedettini; Battistini, Simoncini, Fabbri, Grandoni; E. Golinucci, Tomassini, A. Golinucci; Mularoni, Nanni, Vitaioli

Andorra possible starting lineup:
Gomes; Je. Rubio, Vales, Alavedra, Rebes, M. Garcia; Jo. Rubio, M. Vieira, X. Vieira, Martinez; Cucu

We say: San Marino 0-0 Andorra

A clash between the world's 156th and 210th-ranked nations is hardly going to set the world alight, but there may be no better opportunity for San Marino's current crop to try to write their names into national history.

However, with this game already being a dead rubber and players fatigued from Saturday's humiliating defeats, we expect the two minnows to play out a drab draw as San Marino register only their eighth match without defeat.