Belarus vs San Marino: A Different Kind of Test in Group C1

Belarus enter this Group C1 meeting with one point from their opening two matches, while San Marino are still searching for their first point of the campaign. Belarus opened with a 2-0 defeat against Albania before drawing 0-0 with Finland, leaving Viktor Goncharenko’s side with a narrow margin for error as the group moves into its third round. San Marino also began with two defeats, but Roberto Cevoli’s team produced a more competitive performance against Albania after the heavy opening loss to Finland. The match is being played at Budapest’s Illovszky Rudolf Stadion, with Belarus again using Hungary as its neutral venue. Historically, Belarus have won both previous meetings between the countries, including two Nations League encounters in 2018. The immediate focus, however, is on how each side approaches a fixture in which territorial control and patience are likely to matter more than possession statistics alone.

The tactical picture becomes clearer from the confirmed selections, with Belarus using a 4-4-2 and San Marino also beginning from a four-man defensive structure. Fedor Lapoukhov starts behind Vladislav Kalinin, Zakhar Volkov, Kirill Gomanov and Kiril Pechenin, while Aleksandr Selyava and Max Ebong form the central midfield partnership. Artem Shumanskiy and Artem Kontsevoy provide width around German Barkovskiy and Vitaly Lisakovich, giving Belarus two recognised attacking options through the centre. San Marino counter with Edoardo Colombo in goal and a defence of Giacomo Benvenuti, Michele Cevoli, Dante Carlos Rossi and Simone Giocondi. Alessandro Golinucci returns to the starting side after suspension, with Lorenzo Capicchioni and Marcello Mularoni helping form the midfield structure behind Nicola Nanni and Samuel Pancotti. The two lineups therefore point toward a contest in which Belarus can use their physical presence and direct forward play against a San Marino side likely to prioritise compact spacing and quick transitions.

San Marino’s preparation has been particularly focused on carrying forward the positive elements from the Albania match rather than simply reacting to the result. Head coach Roberto Cevoli said before the game that his team wanted to build on the performance against Albania while paying special attention to Belarus’ characteristics and physical strength. Defender Simone Giocondi also joined Cevoli at the pre-match press conference, with the camp presenting the fixture as another opportunity to continue the development shown during the previous international window. One late squad change is important: Gabriel Capicchioni was ruled out after suffering a right-quadriceps strain during San Marino’s official pre-match training session. His absence removes one of the younger attacking options from Cevoli’s available group, although Nicola Nanni remains in the starting lineup after his strong involvement against Albania. Belarus, meanwhile, entered the fixture without a reported injury problem, allowing Goncharenko to retain a settled group for the third-round encounter.

The pre-match discussion has consequently revolved around whether Belarus can turn their defensive stability against Finland into greater attacking production, and whether San Marino can reproduce the courage and organisation they displayed during periods against Albania. Belarus had yet to score in their first two Nations League matches, while San Marino had also not found the net after defeats to Finland and Albania. That makes the opening phases especially relevant because both teams have reason to avoid allowing the match to become unnecessarily stretched. The Belarus selection places Lisakovich and Barkovskiy together in attack, with Shumanskiy and Kontsevoy providing support from the sides of the midfield line. San Marino’s decision to start Nanni alongside Pancotti gives Cevoli two forward outlets while Golinucci’s return adds experience to the central areas. The press conference comments from the San Marino camp also underline that the visitors expect Belarus to present a different physical challenge from their previous opponents, making the midfield duel and defensive discipline central themes before kickoff.

🟥 Medical Bulletin & Squad Availability

Belarus

Belarus — Current Injury Status
Out / Ruled Out	No player	No injury absence was reported for Belarus before the match

The pre-match team-news reporting stated that Belarus had no reported injury problems.

San Marino

San Marino — Current Injury Status
Out / Ruled Out	Gabriel Capicchioni	Right-quadriceps strain suffered during official pre-match training

No long-term injury or questionable status has been added without a current, documented source. Gabriel Capicchioni is the confirmed late absence from the San Marino squad.

🟢 The Named Matchday Sides

Belarus — 4-4-2

Belarus — Confirmed Starting XI
Goalkeeper	Fedor Lapoukhov	Goalkeeper
Defender	Vladislav Kalinin	Right side of defence
Defender	Zakhar Volkov	Centre-back
Defender	Kirill Gomanov	Centre-back
Defender	Kiril Pechenin	Left side of defence
Midfielder	Artem Lukashov	Wide midfield role
Midfielder	Aleksandr Selyava	Central midfield
Midfielder	Max Ebong	Central midfield
Midfielder	Artem Shumanskiy	Wide attacking role
Forward	German Barkovskiy	Forward
Forward	Vitaly Lisakovich	Forward

San Marino — 4-4-2

San Marino — Confirmed Starting XI
Goalkeeper	Edoardo Colombo	Goalkeeper
Defender	Giacomo Benvenuti	Right side of defence
Defender	Michele Cevoli	Centre-back
Defender	Dante Carlos Rossi	Centre-back
Defender	Simone Giocondi	Left side of defence
Midfielder	Alessandro Golinucci	Central midfield
Midfielder	Lorenzo Capicchioni	Central midfield
Midfielder	Marcello Mularoni	Central midfield
Midfielder	Samuel Pancotti	Wide midfield role
Forward	Nicola Nanni	Forward
Forward	Nicolas Giacopetti	Forward

📋 Personnel to Watch and Tactical Details

Belarus — Key Personnel
Goalkeeper	Fedor Lapoukhov	Starts behind the unchanged defensive structure
Midfield	Max Ebong	Central presence in the Belarus midfield
Attack	Vitaly Lisakovich	Experienced forward and central attacking outlet

San Marino — Key Personnel
Goalkeeper	Edoardo Colombo	Provides the first line of San Marino’s defensive organisation
Midfield	Alessandro Golinucci	Returns after suspension and restores experience to midfield
Attack	Nicola Nanni	Central attacking reference

• Belarus’ central structure: Selyava and Ebong provide the central platform behind the attacking pair.
• Wide progression: Shumanskiy and Kontsevoy give Belarus two outlets around their front two.
• San Marino’s response: Golinucci’s return gives Cevoli an experienced midfield option after suspension.
• Attacking availability: Gabriel Capicchioni’s late quadriceps injury removes one attacking option from San Marino’s squad.

❗ The Pre-Kickoff Conversation

The clearest message from San Marino’s camp before kickoff was that the team wanted to preserve the positive aspects of the Albania performance while adapting to Belarus’ physical characteristics. Roberto Cevoli specifically highlighted the need to pay attention to Belarus’ strength and described the fixture as a different type of challenge. The Belarus side had a more straightforward selection picture, with no injury problems reported before the match and a familiar core available to Goncharenko. Coverage of the fixture also noted that Belarus had collected only one point from two matches and had not scored in either of their opening Nations League games, while San Marino entered without a point after two defeats. The two previous meetings between the countries were both Belarus victories, but neither side enters this encounter with the same personnel or circumstances as those 2018 matches. The pre-match story was therefore centered on Belarus trying to translate their defensive solidity into attacking output, while San Marino aimed to continue the competitive elements they had shown in their previous outing.

Variation rule used for this edition: the article opens with the Group C1 situation and tactical setting, keeps the main narrative to four paragraphs, and treats the injury section strictly as a documented availability report rather than a general team-news list.

⚽Full Match
🥅 Watch	Server #1