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YUGOSLAVIA - Switzerland 1-1 (HT: 0-0)
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| Mihajlovic scores a goal against Switzerland |
Belgrade, March 24 (agencies) - Milovan Djoric got off to a disappointing start as Yugoslavia coach as a Stephane Chapuisat goal with six minutes to go denied the Dark Blues a vital World Cup qualifying win.
The home side created little in a lacklustre first half and
were jeered off at the interval. Savo Milosevic came close to
breaking the deadlock with a close-range header wich sailed
just over the bar in the sixth minute.
They improved slightly after the break and captain Sinisa Mihajlovic gave them the lead in the 68th minute. It was a trademark free-kick strike from the Lazio defender, his well-flighted 25-yard shot deceiving Marco Pascolo in the Swiss goal.
But Switzerland refused to lie down and grabbed a deserved
equaliser six minutes from time when Chapuisat headed home a
perfect Johann Lonfat cross.
Milosevic (left) and Zellweger
jump for the ball
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Milosevic could have clinched a last-minute winner for
Yugoslavia but Pascolo made a diving save to deny the striker
from close range.
Switzerland now have five points from four games and
Yugoslavia four points from two games and are respectively third
and fourth in group one.
Russia lead the group with seven points from three games
after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Slovenia, who are second with six
points from four games.
2002 World Cup Group One qualifier, Belgrade, YUGOSLAVIA, March 24
YUGOSLAVIA - SWITZERLAND 1-1 (HT: 0-0).
Attendance: 35,000. Referee: Karl Erik Nilsson (Sweden). Scorers: Mihajlovic (68) for Yugoslavia and Chapuisat (84) for Switzerland. Booked: Jugovic (Yugoslavia) and Henchoz (Switzerland). Sent off: Swiss coach Enzo Trossero.
YUGOSLAVIA: Kocic, Duljaj, Djordjevic (Kovacevic 65), Obradovic, Djukic, Lazetic (Stefanovic 78), Jugovic, Kezman, Milosevic, Stankovic (Ivic 56), Mihajlovic
SWITZERLAND: Pascolo, Zellweger, Yvan, Henchoz, Muller, Vogel, Lombardo (Bullmann 72), Lonfat, Yakin, Fournier, Chapuisat (Vega 87)
*****
After the match
"We just didn't have any luck. We had the chances, but we just couldn't score. The Swiss had two chances, and scored once" (Milovan Djoric, Yugoslavia's coach).
"There isn't lot to say. Switzerland came to defend and they succeeded. In the second half we played with three strikers but we still couldn't score" (Darko Kovacevic, Yugoslavia's forward).
"This was the correct result. We had a good chance in the first half, but we didn't take it. And the foul before hosts' goal was on our player, not on the Yugoslav. (Enzo Trossero, Switzerland coach)
*****
2002 World Cup group one qualifiers - previous results: Switzerland - Russia 0-1, Luxembourg - YUGOSLAVIA 0-2, Faroe Island - Slovenia 2-2, Switzerland - Faroe Islands 5-1, Luxembourg - Slovenia 1-2, Russia - Luxembourg 3-0, Slovenia - Switzerland 2-2, YUGOSLAVIA - Switzerland 1-1, Russia - Slovenia 1-1, Luxembourg - Faroe Islands 0-2.
Group One - current standings
G W D L F-A Pts
1. Russia 3 2 1 0 5-1 7
2. Slovenia 4 1 3 0 7-6 6
3. Switzerland 4 1 2 1 8-5 5
4. YUGOSLAVIA 2 1 1 0 3-1 4
5. Faroe Islands 3 1 1 1 5-7 4
6. Luxembourg 4 0 0 4 1-9 0
Next matches (March 28): Switzerland - Luxembourg, Slovenia - YUGOSLAVIA, Russia - Faroe Islands.
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