AI preview
Written before the matchAlbania and San Marino enter this fixture with starkly different recent trajectories in the UEFA Nations League, with the hosts looking to build on their recent victory over the visitors.
Recent form
Albania has shown resilience in this competition, bouncing back from a run of friendly defeats to secure wins against Belarus and San Marino, though they most recently suffered a narrow loss to Finland. Their attacking output has been more clinical in the Nations League, scoring five goals across their three matches in the tournament. San Marino continues to struggle for results, having lost all three of their Nations League fixtures without finding the net. Their defensive efforts have been heavily tested, conceding fourteen times in those three matches while failing to register a win in any of their listed encounters. The visitors have found it difficult to generate sustained pressure, often appearing outmatched against their group opponents.
Previous meetings
The sides have very little history in our records beyond their recent meeting in September 2026, which Albania won comfortably away from home.
Key factors
- Albania dominated the scoring in the first half of their recent matches while keeping a clean sheet in that period.
- San Marino has failed to score in any of their three Nations League matches while conceding fourteen goals.
- Albania averages significantly more shots on target per match than San Marino.
- The sides share identical rest periods of three days following their matches on October 3.
What to expect
Albania enters this match with a clear advantage in recent form and attacking efficiency compared to a San Marino side that has struggled to compete in the group. With the visitors failing to score in their tournament matches so far, the hosts are positioned to control the proceedings. While no outcome is certain, the evidence points toward a challenging evening for San Marino as they face an Albanian side that has demonstrated superior consistency in this competition.
What our records do not hold
No absences were reported.
Data considered:
- recent form
- home and away form
- head-to-head
- rest days
- league table
- odds
- absences
- provider statistics
- players
- match flow
- set-up
Team statistics
- 7Shots on goal3
- 12Shots off goal3
- 26Total shots8
- 7Blocked shots2
- 21Shots inside box3
- 5Shots outside box5
- 7Shots on goal3
- 12Shots off goal3
- 26Total shots8
- 7Blocked shots2
- 21Shots inside box3
- 5Shots outside box5
- 12Fouls21
- 10Corners1
- 0Offsides1
- 70%Possession30%
- 1Yellow cards4
- -Red cards-
- 2Saves5
- 559Passes255
- 495Accurate passes166
- 89%Pass accuracy65%
- 2.72Expected goals0.61
- -0.77Goals prevented-0.77
Line-ups
Albania 3-4-3
San Marino 4-3-1-2
1Edoardo ColomboG
4Filippo FabbriD
5Michele CevoliD
6Dante RossiD
3Simone GiocondiD
16Cristian MeloniM
8Lorenzo CapicchioniM
10Samuele ZannoniM
18Enea Dell BaldaM
14Fausto Marino SalicioniF
11Nicolas GiacopettiF
Albania 3-4-3
23Mario DajsinaniG
6Berat DjimsitiD
18Ardian IsmajliD
3Mario MitajD
4Elseid HysajM
16Juljan ShehuM
8Kristjan AsllaniM
22Stavros PiliosM
10Ernest MuçiF
7Rey ManajF
21Arber HoxhaF
Bench
9Anis MehmetiM
11Myrto UzuniF
20Ylber RamadaniM
19Mirlind DakuF
1Simon SimoniG
12Alain TahoG
2Klisman CakeD
13Naser AlijiD
15Marash KumbullaD
5Luis HasaM
17Taulant SeferiF
14Cristian ShpendiF
Coach
R. MaranSan Marino 4-3-1-2
- 1Edoardo ColomboG
- 4Filippo FabbriD
- 5Michele CevoliD
- 6Dante RossiD
- 3Simone GiocondiD
- 16Cristian MeloniM
- 8Lorenzo CapicchioniM
- 10Samuele ZannoniM
- 18Enea Dell BaldaM
- 14Fausto Marino SalicioniF
- 11Nicolas GiacopettiF
Bench
21Lorenzo LazzariM
19Samuel PancottiF
2Giacomo BenvenutiD
15Marco PasoliniD
20Giulio Maria BugliD
13Lyes HoelG
23Mirco De AngelisG
12Alessandro TosiD
17Alessandro GolinucciM
22Marcello MularoniM
7Gabriel CapicchioniF
9Nicholas ProttiF
Coach
R. CevoliTimeline
- 11'GoalKristjan AsllaniAlbania
- 66'GoalLorenzo Lazzari (assist: Lorenzo Capicchioni)San Marino
- 90'PenaltyKristjan AsllaniAlbania
- 11'GoalKristjan AsllaniAlbania
- 38'Yellow cardFilippo FabbriSan Marino
- 46'SubstitutionOn: Anis MehmetiOff: Ernest MuçiAlbania
- 51'Yellow cardMichele CevoliSan Marino
- 56'SubstitutionOn: Myrto UzuniOff: Arber HoxhaAlbania
- 58'SubstitutionOn: Lorenzo LazzariOff: Cristian MeloniSan Marino
- 58'SubstitutionOn: Samuel PancottiOff: Fausto Marino SalicioniSan Marino
- 59'SubstitutionOn: Giacomo BenvenutiOff: Michele CevoliSan Marino
- 64'SubstitutionOn: Marco PasoliniOff: Dante RossiSan Marino
- 66'GoalLorenzo Lazzari (assist: Lorenzo Capicchioni)San Marino
- 71'SubstitutionOn: Ylber RamadaniOff: Mario MitajAlbania
- 71'SubstitutionOn: Mirlind DakuOff: Juljan ShehuAlbania
- 76'Yellow cardSimone GiocondiSan Marino
- 84'Yellow cardNicolas GiacopettiSan Marino
- 86'SubstitutionOn: Giulio Maria BugliOff: Lorenzo CapicchioniSan Marino
- 90'PenaltyKristjan AsllaniAlbania
- 90'Yellow cardArdian IsmajliAlbania
- 90'Penalty confirmedArdian IsmajliAlbania
Players of the match
- Kristjan AsllaniAlbania
- Elseid HysajAlbania
- Lorenzo LazzariSan Marino
| Player | Minutes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Kristjan Asllani | 90 | |
| Elseid Hysaj | 90 | |
| Lorenzo Lazzari | 32 | |
| Dante Rossi | 64 | |
| Arber Hoxha | 56 | |
| Ardian Ismajli | 90 | |
| Berat Djimsiti | 90 | |
| Stavros Pilios | 90 | |
| Anis Mehmeti | 45 | |
| Ylber Ramadani | 19 | |
| Lorenzo Capicchioni | 86 | |
| Myrto Uzuni | 34 | |
| Michele Cevoli | 59 | |
| Nicolas Giacopetti | 90 | |
| Giacomo Benvenuti | 31 | |
| Mario Mitaj | 71 | |
| Mario Dajsinani | 90 | |
| Juljan Shehu | 71 | |
| Ernest Muçi | 45 | |
| Simone Giocondi | 90 | |
| Samuel Pancotti | 32 | |
| Samuele Zannoni | 90 | |
| Enea Dell Balda | 90 | |
| Fausto Marino Salicioni | 58 | |
| Marco Pasolini | 26 | |
| Rey Manaj | 90 | |
| Mirlind Daku | 19 | |
| Cristian Meloni | 58 | |
| Giulio Maria Bugli | 11 | |
| Edoardo Colombo | 90 | |
| Filippo Fabbri | 90 | |
| Simon Simoni | - | |
| Alain Taho | - | |
| Klisman Cake | - | |
| Naser Aliji | - | |
| Marash Kumbulla | - | |
| Luis Hasa | - | |
| Taulant Seferi | - | |
| Cristian Shpendi | - | |
| Lyes Hoel | - | |
| Mirco De Angelis | - | |
| Alessandro Tosi | - | |
| Alessandro Golinucci | - | |
| Marcello Mularoni | - | |
| Gabriel Capicchioni | - | |
| Nicholas Protti | - |
Absences
No absences reported
Standings
| Position | Record | Points | Goal diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4San Marino | 0-0-5 | 0 | -17 |
| 1Albania | 4-0-1 | 12 | +7 |
Recent matches
Head-to-head
1 match
1 AlbaniaDraws 00 San Marino
1 match
1 AlbaniaDraws 00 San Marino
- 2026-09-29Albania
