VADUZ: San Marino, bottom of the FIFA World Ranking, gained a surprise promotion to the third tier of the UEFA Nations League after hitting back from a goal down to win 3-1 in Liechtenstein.

San Marino turned the match on its head with goals from Lorenzo Lazzari and Alessandro Golinucci, and Nicola Nanni’s penalty. Hence they scored three goals in a competitive fixture for the first time. Their substitutes raced on to the pitch in joy after securing promotion to league C with a historic result at the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz.

Coach Roberto Cevoli said: “Finishing that first half 1-0 down was an insult to football, but the boys were brilliant and deserved what they’ve managed to achieve.”

Marco Tura, the president of San Marino’s Football Federation, said: “These boys made history tonight. As people, as athletes, as men they have shown what they are worth. I cried with the boys.”

This marks only the second competitive win in San Marino’s history since they began competing in international tournaments in 1990. Their first victory came earlier in the same campaign, a 1-0 triumph over Liechtenstein in September that ended a 140-match winless run.

The micro-state, with its population of a little over 33,000, has now been promoted after finishing group D1 one point ahead of Gibraltar, with whom they drew 1-1 on Friday thanks to a 91st-minute Nanni spot kick.

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