San Marino goal vs England: past results and previous head to heads explored ahead of World Cup 2022 qualifier

The team that is ranked 20th in the FIFA World rankings has not won a match in their qualifying stages and currently sits bottom of their group, and not only have they not won a match but they have also only scored one goal in their nine previous matches.

During their first leg against Poland in San Marino, Nicola Nanni scored the nation’s only goal of the tournament in the 48th minute of the match. However, the joy was short-lived as Poland went on to win the match 7-1.

Gareth Southgate’s team are currently top of their group having not lost a single match and drawing two out of their nine fixtures.

The Lions currently require one more point in order to automatically qualify for next year’s World Cup in Qatar and with each team’s current form and history, it seems unlikely England would not be able to secure their spot at the 2022 competition.

Here is all you need to know about San Marino and England’s previous fixtures ahead of their clash tonight.

How many times has San Marino played England?

The two teams have faced each other a total of seven times with their first meet up coming in 1993.

Five out of these seven times have come in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches while the other two have been as part of the UEFA European Championship.

How many times have England won against San Marino?

England have not lost a single match against San Marino. San Marino have won one match in their football history. This feat came in 2004 when they beat Liechtenstein in a friendly 1-0.

Have San Marino ever scored against England?

San Marino have famously scored once against England. In their second ever meet up England needed to beat the microstate by seven goals if they were to make it to the 1994 World Cup.

The previous talk before the match had been whether England had enough goals in them as a win was almost inevitable. It was just a matter of how many goals England would be able to produce.

Within under 10 seconds of kick off, San Marino miraculously scored. It took all over 8.33 seconds and is still the fastest goal in World Cup history.

After the first whistle, Massimo Bonini and Nicola Bacciocchi kicked off and passed the ball to Pier Angelo Manzaroli who then returned it to an advancing Bacciocchi.

Bacciocchi then kicked it through to Davide Gualtieri, and despite the ball being overshot, Gaultieri was still able to make the ball past England’s goalkeeper, David Seaman, and England were one goal down before they could catch their breath.

Speaking to The FA in 2014, Gualtieri said “I didn’t even realise how quick the goal was. I think I was a bit lucky although I reckon I also believed I could score. Let’s say it was a mix of luck and self-belief.”

Gaulieri’s goal against England remains the only time San Marino have ever been able to put the ball past an English goal-keeper.

What has been England’s biggest score against San Marino?

England beat San Marino 8-0 in San Marino on 22 March 2013 during a FIFA World Cup qualifying match.

In England’s biggest win since 1987, Roy Hodgson’s team saw Jermain Defoe score twice as well as seeing goals from Alessandro Della Valle, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ashley Young, Frank Lampard and Daniel Sturridge.

England v San Marino Head to Head

• 17 February 1993 England 6-0 San Marino
• 17 November 1993 San Marino 1-7 England 
• 12 October 2012 England 5-0 San Marino
• 22 March 2013 San Marino 0-8 England 
• 9 October 2014 England 5-0 San Marino
• 5 September 2015 San Marino 0-6 England 
• 25 March 2021 England 5-0 San Marino

England will travel to San Marino for their final FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture which takes place this evening, Monday 15 November 2021. Kick off is at 7.45pm GMT and the match is available to watch on ITV and the ITV hub website and app.

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