Juvenes-Dogana impress San Marino

After four games in the Sammarinese league there are already a few surprises, but the biggest is arguably the presence of AC Juvenes-Dogana at the top of Group A with two victories and two draws, five goals scored and just one conceded.

Good results
Alberto Manca's team are getting good results and playing excellent football. With the top side in San Marino now earning a place in the UEFA Champions League – S.S. Murata were the first local club to take part in the competition this season – clubs have shown an increased enthusiasm and Juvenes-Dogana have been a splendid example of what can be achieved.

Good mix
"We can count on good Italian players with experience and a few Sammarinese players with lot of quality," Juvenes-Dogana coach Alberto Manca told uefa.com. Goalkeeper Simone Montanari and forwards Marco Fantini and Giacomo Gamberoni are among the most famous players at Manca's disposal. "We want to go as far as possible. We want to play until May – that would mean playing the final play-off for the title," added the coach who is in his first job in San Marino.

Fine tradition
Juvenes-Dogana have never played a final so far as the club was only founded in 2000 with the fusion between S.S. Juvenes and G.S. Dogana. Those two clubs boasted plenty of tradition, especially Juvenes. Formerly called S.S. Castellana, they were the second oldest club in the country after AC Libertas and won the Coppa del Titano five times, the last time in 1984. They were founded in 1953 by priest Peppino Innocentini, who is currently the president of Juvenes-Dogana. Massimo Bonini, regarded as San Marino's best-ever footballer, played for Juvenes before starting a glittering career with Juventus in Serie A.

Potent combination
Now, alongside Dogana, the club want to return to the past glories. "We are earning good results," continued Manca. "Physically we are in good form and if you mix good form with our great enthusiasm you have a winning formula. We want to reach the play-offs even if we know that it will not be easy because this league is very tight. However I believe we can surprise a lot of people this season."