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First Round
Yugoslavia
Previous Games:
Yug - Slo (3-3)
Nor - Yug (0-1) |
Game
21 |
Spain
Previous Games:
Spa - Nor (0-1)
Slo - Spa (1-2) |
Yugoslavia only need a
draw against Spain to qualify for the
Quarter-finals. A win would put them top of the group and help Slovenia; if they can beat
Norway. A draw would only be good for Spain if Slovenia beat Norway. Quite simply, Spain
need to win against Yugoslavia to be sure of staying in the tournament.
Even if Yugoslavia lose, they'll still go
through to the Quarter-finals if the other game's a draw.
Spain have not yet played to their true
potential. Even though they beat Slovenia 2-1, they didn't dominate the game and the
tournament's minnows threatened to equalise on more than one occassion.
The Spaniards think they played better against
Norway and lost, so they won't mind how they play here, as long as they win.
Raul has only scored one goal in the
tournament so far and the Spaniards need to impress for once, or they can start to plan
their summer holidays; as far away from from their homeland as possible and preferably
somewhere with no Spanish papers -- the Faeroe Islands perhaps.
Yugoslavia will be out to make it tough and
show the rest of Europe that they are a force to be reckoned with.
Yugoslavia Team:
22-Ivica Kralj
3-Goran Djorovic, 11-Sinisa Mihajlovic, 13-Slobodan Komljenovic, 5-Miroslav Djukic
4-Slavisa Jokanovic, 7-Vladimir Jugovic, 10-Dragan Stojkovic, 17-Ljubinko Drulovic
8-Predrag Mijatovic, 9-Savo Milosevic
Spain Team:
1-Jose Canizares
2-Michel Salgado, 5-Abelardo, 4-Josep Guardiola, 7-Ivan Helguera
16-Gaizka Mendieta, 8-Fran Gonzalez, 12-Sergi Barjuan, 18-Paco Jemez
10-Raul, 11-Alfonso Perez
Referee: Gilles Veissiere
(France)
First Half:
Yugoslavia were under heavy attack from Spain yet against the run of play they took the
lead just after the half hour.
Milosevic
made it goal number four in three games; heading in a cross from the left by Drulovic.
Spain attacked again immediately, Alfonso
heading just wide. Then seven minutes before half-time the Spaniards did what they had
been promising all game. Score.
Raul stumbled into the area with the ball and
left it for Alfonso to finish off.
For the last five minutes of the first-half it
was all Spain: Mendieta, Raul, and Etxeberria should all have added to the scoreline.
Yugoslavia will be happy they're still in the
game.
Half-time: 1-1
Second Half:
Yugoslavia are part of another stunning game.
Five second-half goals, another red card and
stoppage-time drama to beat even the England - Romania match.
2-1. Govadarica,
who came on for Jugovic, puts Yugoslavia in front; 51mins.
2-2. Munitis,
who replaced Salgado, levels the scores in the following minute.
In the 66th minute, Jokanovic gets his second
yellow card for a foul on Munitis, and third red card for Yugoslavia in three games. A
Yugoslav fan runs on the pitch and heads towards the ref.
3-2. With fifteen minutes to
go, Komljenovic puts ten-man Yugoslavia in
the lead. A mix up in the Spanish area, and the defender reacts quickly to put the lose
ball in the net.
With five minutes to go Spain looked like
heading home early. Then a whopping five minutes of stoppage time was added on and Spain
made the most of it. Yugoslavia were tired, covering so much ground with one man less, but
they must be getting used to it by now.
3-3. Three minutes into
stoppage time and Spain were awarded a penalty. Mendieta
sent the keeper the wrong way.
The Norway-Slovenia match was a 0-0 draw and
Spain needed another goal to go through.... And they get it!
3-4. In the final minute of
stoppage time, the long ball upfield is headed across a packed Yugoslav penalty area and Alfonso cracked in the goal that killed off Norway
and hopefully the leader headlines in Spain.
What a turn of events and another thriller
involving a Yugoslavia team playing with a player less.
Result:
Yugoslavia 3 -- Spain 4
Man of the Match:
Alfonso.
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