San Marino v Slovenia background
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Article summary
San Marino will look to finish their Group E campaign on a positive note, while Slovenia are aiming to make sure of third position and a place in the play-off draw.
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Article body
San Marino have had little luck in their previous meetings with Slovenia as the teams meet in their final UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group E game.
• Slovenia, third in the section, cannot qualify automatically but will only be denied a play-off if they lose their final game and Estonia beat runners-up Switzerlands by a margin that overturns Slovenia's goal-difference advantage. Slovenia's goal difference is currently +5; Estonia's is -4.
Previous meetings
• Slovenia secured a 6-0 win when they faced San Marino for the first time in Group E – their biggest margin of victory in a senior international game.
• The nations met for the first time in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying, with Matjaž Kek's Slovenia winning 5-0 against Giampaolo Mazza's men in Maribor and 3-0 in Serravalle.
• San Marino are thus yet to score – or avoid defeat – against Slovenia
Form guide
• San Marino have not scored in their last five home qualifiers (D1 L4). They have yet to win a competitive home game in 60 attempts.
• This is destined to be San Marino's best UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign – their 0-0 draw with Estonia last November earned them their first point in the competition.
• Slovenia have lost four of their last five competitive away matches, the exception being a 2-0 win in Lithuania last October.
Disciplinary
• The latest booking list is available here: http://www.uefa.org/disciplinary/disciplinary-cases/booking-lists/index.html.
Trivia and links
• Slovenia have a number of players based over the border from San Marino in Italy – Valter Birsa (AC Chievo Verona), Boštjan Cesar (AC Chievo Verona), Samir Handanovič (FC Internazionale Milano), Josip Iličić (ACF Fiorentina), Luka Kranjc (Cagliari Calcio) and Jasmin Kurtič (Atalanta BC).
• Slovenia won 3-0 against San Marino in qualifying for the 1999 UEFA European Under-16 Championship in what was the only meeting between the nations in age-group competitions.
• NK Domžale beat Domagnano FC 8-0 on aggregate in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup first qualifying round in the only UEFA meeting between Slovenian and Sammarinese clubs.
• Thus, no Sammarinese side has scored – or avoided defeat – against Slovenian opponents in any men's UEFA football competition.
