Belgrade, April 24 (Reuters) - Yugoslavia captain Sinisa Mihajlovic has called on rival Belgrade fans to put their differences aside for the team's crucial World Cup qualifier against Russia on Wednesday.
The Lazio player said supporters of bitter Belgrade rivals
Red Star and Partizan should unite for a match Yugoslavia must
win to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for next year's
event.
Russia lead group one with 10 points from four matches while
the Yugoslavs are in fourth place with five points after three
games.
"We need their support more than ever. It's a do-or-die
match against the toughest opponent in the group," Mihajlovic
told a news conference on Tuesday.
"It's a disgrace for fans to let club rivalry get the better
of their support for the national team," he added.
The last three encounters between Red Star and Partizan were
marred by serious crowd trouble, including pitch invasions,
running battles inside and outside the stadium and clashes with
riot police.
The two sets of fans also jeered former and present Partizan
and Red Star players in Yugoslavia's recent home matches.
"The fans ought to know this probably won't be an attractive
match as the result is all that matters. We need them to stand
united so we can weather the storm and come out winners," said
Parma's in-form striker Savo Milosevic.
Manager Milovan Djoric, heavily criticized after two 1-1
draws against Slovenia and Switzerland last month, said the team
must show patience in breaking down the Russians to avoid
getting caught on the break.
"Any outcome other than a win would put us in a very tight
spot. But we must be patient in breaking down the Russians as
their lightning breaks down the flanks will be a constant
threat," he said.
Djoric said tension was mounting ahead of Wednesday's clash
against the group leaders but added the bulk of the team had
been under pressure before.
"Most of them are very experienced and have been through
this before. We've got world class players who know what they
have to do when the going gets tough," he said.
Russia, already decimated by injuries, received another blow
on Tuesday when they left Moscow without first choice striker
Maxim Buznikin.
The skilful Lokomotiv Moscow player has failed to recover
after twisting his ankle in training last week.
The Russians will also be without PSV Eindhoven defender
Yuri Nikiforov and midfielders Valery Karpin of Celta Vigo and
Girondins Bordeaux's Alexei Smertin.
Buznikin's injury left coach Oleg Romantsev with just one
striker, Racing Santander's Vladimir Beschastnykh, who has not
played for his club for almost six months.
Romantsev has called up Andrei Fedkov of Sokol Saratov who
has been in prolific form in recent weeks.
Probable teams
YUGOSLAVIA: Sasa Ilic, Milan Obradovic, Mladen Krstajic,
Sinisa Mihajlovic, Miroslav Djukic, Slavisa Jokanovic, Nikola
Lazetic, Ivan Tomic, Predrag Djordjevic, Predrag Mijatovic, Savo
Milosevic.
RUSSIA: Ruslan Nigmatullin, Yuri Kovtun, Dmitry Khokhlov,
Omari Tetradze, Yuri Drozdov, Viktor Onopko, Rolan Gusev, Dmitry
Alenichev, Yegor Titov, Alexander Mostovoi, Vladimir
Beschastnykh.
Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria)
