FOOTBALL:
YUGOSLAVIA - Croatia 0-0

Predrag Mijatovic hit the post in the 1st minute of the match

Belgrade, August 18 - In the match of the group eight of the qualifications for the European Football Championship, which is to be held next year in Holland and Belgium, the best players from Yugoslavia and Croatia met on Wednesday in Belgrade, which is the first match between the national teams of these two countries since the falling apart of the formal Yugoslavia.

The beginning of the match was promising for the Yugoslav team: in the opening minute, after a great combination at the right half of the field, captain Predrag Mijatovic hit the left post of the Ladic's goal.

Sinisa Mihajlovic tried his explosive kick for two times, in the 9th and 13th minute of the match, but the result stayed unchanged.

In the middle of the first half, in the 23rd minute, Croatians also hit the upright of the goal of our team through striker Davor Suker.

Goran Djorovic (left, Yugoslavia) fights for the ball with Mario Stanic

In the 36th minute, guests almost made a lead thanks to a big mistake of the Yugoslav players. Sinisa Mihajlovic was spared an own goal when he deflected the ball past his own keeper Aleksandar Kocic but luckily, it has only hit the post.

Beginning of the second half was marked by the loss of power at the stadium. The match resumed after 43 minutes.

The resumption was marked with a bit weaker play than in the first 45 minutes. Drulovic, playing instead of Djorovic in the Yugoslav national team, made some confusion in the Croatian defense but the fact remains that the Yugoslav football players had no strength for the final hit to their opponents.

Jovan Stankovic and Darko Kovacevic during electricity failure

When the points are shared, it's for sure that Yugoslavia would be more satisfied than the Croatian team since they have lost even the seventh point at the current qualifications. Yugoslav national team remained at top of the group, it has lost 2 points only after four matches so in the remaining four matches it would be enough to win seven points for the leading place at the qualification group eight which would directly lead it to the European Football Championship, to be held next year in Holland and Belgium.

After the match

"In the second part of the first half we had a weak rhythm so we completely lost the game at the period we were completely superior. The situation was better in the second half but we mustn't forget that we dealt with a national team which has won the third place at the World Championship in France last year. The result is positive and I'm pleased with the goalless score". (Vujadin Boskov, Yugoslav coach)

"It was a tough match considering that Croatia was a serious opponent. Blazevic set a great tactics so we were forced to play at the mid of the field for the most of the game. I think this was a real balance of powers and that with this point, Yugoslavia is still the most serious candidate for the leading place in the group". (Miroslav Djukic, Yugoslav player)

Red Star Stadium. Attendance: 50,000. Referee: Milton Kin Nielsen (Danemark). Booked: Nadj and Jokanovic (Yugoslavia); Jarni, Boban and Jurcic (Croatia).

YUGOSLAVIA: Kocic, Mirkovic, Djorovic (Drulovic), Jokanovic, Djukic, Jovan Stankovic, Nadj, Mijatovic (cap), Kovacevic (Milosevic), Dejan Stankovic, Mihajlovic.

CROATIA: Ladic, Kovac, Jarni, Soldo, Stimac, Simic, Asanovic, Stanic (Rapajic), Suker, Boban (Biscan), Jurcic,

PREVIOUS RESULTS IN GROUP EIGHT

•  September 5, 1998, Republic of Ireland - Croatia 2-0
•  September 6, 1998, Macedonia - Malta 4-0
• October 10, 1998, Malta - Croatia 1-4
• October 14, 1998, Croatia - Macedonia 3-2
• October 14, 1998, Republic of Ireland - Malta 5-0
• November 18, 1998, YUGOSLAVIA - Republic of Ireland1-0
• November 18, 1998, Malta - Macedonia 1-2
• February 10, 1999, Malta - YUGOSLAVIA 0-3
•  June 5, 1999, Macedonia - Croatia 1-1
•  June 8, 1999, YUGOSLAVIA - Malta 4-1
•  June 9, 1999, Republic of Ireland - Macedonia 1-0
• August 18, 1999, YUGOSLAVIA - Croatia 0-0

CURRENT STANDINGS IN GROUP EIGHT

	Games Played	W	D	L	F/A	Points
YUGOSLAVIA	4	3	1	0	8-1	10
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND	4	3	0	1	8-1	9
CROATIA	5	2	2	1	8-6	8
MACEDONIA	5	2	1	2	9-6	7
MALTA	6	0	0	6	3-22	0

FOLLOWING MATCHES IN GROUP EIGHT

• August 21, 1999, Croatia - Malta
•  September 1, 1999, Republic of Ireland - YUGOSLAVIA
•  September 4, 1999, YUGOSLAVIA - Macedonia
•  September 4, 1999, Croatia - Republic of Ireland
•  September 8, 1999, Malta - Republic of Ireland
•  September 8, 1999, Macedonia - YUGOSLAVIA
• October 10, 1999, Croatia - YUGOSLAVIA
• October 10, 1999, Macedonia - Republic of Ireland