Belarus turn San Marino into a practice‑match parade

A 4‑0 drubbing in the Nations League left the tiny republic wondering whether they’d been invited to a senior‑team warm‑up. Belarus arrived in the group’s fourth‑place slot, a modest perch that promised at least a point; San Marino were already nailed to the bottom, so the odds were already stacked against them. The result simply confirmed the hierarchy.

From the first whistle, the Minsk side looked like a well‑oiled machine. Aleksandr Shirokov’s opening strike in the 12th minute was a textbook finish – low, placed, and leaving the San Marino keeper clutching at thin air. The goal set the tone and earned Shirokov a tidy 8.5. A second‑half surge saw forward Andrei Savić double‑tap a corner into the net, his aerial dominance worth a solid 8. Midfield maestro Dzmitry Kavalchuk dictated the tempo, threading a clever through‑ball to Savić for the third, and his work rate merited a 7.8. The final nail came when winger Mikhail Zhuravlev curled a free‑kick past a bewildered goalkeeper, a moment of class that secured him a 7.5.

San Marino, meanwhile, were left to chase shadows. Their keeper, Marco Bianchi, managed a respectable 6 given the deluge, but the defensive line was a revolving door. Defender Luca Rossi was the most visible on the wrong end of the scoreboard, earning a 5 for his inability to stop the onslaught.

Statistically, Belarus dominated possession (62% to 38%), completed 423 passes to San Marino’s 187, and forced 14 shots on target while the visitors mustered just three. The clean sheet was a bonus for Belarus’ back‑four, who collectively earned a 7 rating for staying compact and disciplined.

What does this mean for the table? Belarus leap‑frogged the group’s third‑place team, now perched in third with eight points, edging closer to the promotion playoff. San Marino remain rock‑bottom, their goal difference now a humiliating –14, making any hope of climbing the ladder a distant fantasy.

The win is a statement: Belarus can still punch above their weight, while San Marino must decide whether to keep treating the Nations League as a training ground for the elite.

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Player Ratings

• Aleksandr Shirokov (BLR) – 8.5
• Andrei Savić (BLR) – 8.0
• Dzmitry Kavalchuk (BLR) – 7.8
• Mikhail Zhuravlev (BLR) – 7.5
• Marco Bianchi (SMR) – 6.0
• Luca Rossi (SMR) – 5.0