From not winning a game in 20 years to achieving Nations League promotion.
San Marino can dream about life in the dizzying heights of League C after they came from behind to beat Liechtenstein 3-1.
Aron Sele put Liechtenstein ahead in the 40th minute, but whatever half-time pep talk San Marino manager Roberto Cevoli gave his side, it certainly worked.
Lorenzo Lazzari equalised within 50 seconds of the restart with a cool finish after he made a darting run between Liechtenstein’s centre-backs.
Andrea Contadini picked out Lazzari’s run with a inch-perfect pass from inside his own half and the latter did the rest, allowing the ball to bounce before slamming it home past Lichtenstein goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel.
San Marino then went ahead in the 66th minute when Nicola Nanni sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot.
If San Marino weren’t dreaming of promotion by then, they certainly were ten minutes later.
Cevoli’s side patiently worked the ball high up the left side of the field before some intricate passing eventually found left-back Alessandro Tosi, who had found himself unmarked in the box.
Tosi cut the ball back in the path of Alessandro Golinucci, who slammed home with a sweetly-struck first-time effort.
The 30-year-old was instantly mobbed by his teammates as they recognised how tantalisingly close they were to promotion.
Despite Liechtensten’s best efforts to slaw back the deficit, it was to little avail as San Marino soon celebrated the biggest win in their history, with their first international taking place in 1987.
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The records didn’t stop there, either.
It was the first time the microstate had ever scored three goals and was also their first-ever victory on away soil.
But, most importantly, the 3-1 triumph helped San Marino, ranked 210th in the world, secure top spot in League D Group 1 and guarantee promotion to League C.
It was also San Marino’s second in their last six games, with their last victory, coincidentally against Liechtenstein, ending an agonising 20-year, 140-game wait for a win.
In that time, San Marino had become renowned as the whipping boys of Europe.
They had been beaten 13-0, 11-0 and 10-0 to Germany, Netherlands and England respectively in 2006, 2011 and 2021, cementing their status as an easy three points when qualifying for a tournament.
But the Nations League has given San Marino the chance to make history and they have done just that, even if their three victories have all come against Liechtenstein.
