Stadium of FC Croatia in Zagreb. Attendance: 39,000. Referee: Garcia Aranda (Spain).
Booked: Soldo, Stanic, Tudor, Juric (Croatia), Jokanovic, Mihajlovic (Yugoslavia). Sent off: Mirkovic (Yugoslavia) in 43rd minute.
Scorers: Boksic (20) and Stanic (46) for Croatia, Stanic (26-og) and Stankovic (31) for Yugoslavia.
Croatia: Ladic, Rukavina, Jarni, Soldo, Juric, Tudor (Rapajic), Asanovic, Stanic, Suker, Kovac (Biscan), Boksic (Simic).
YUGOSLAVIA: Kralj, Mirkovic, Djorovic, Jokanovic, Djukic, Nadj (Drulovic), Stankovic, Mijatovic (Savicevic), Milosevic, Stojkovic (Bolic), Mihajlovic.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Sinisa Mihajlovic (Yugoslavia).
Zagreb, October 9 - Yugoslavia placed itself into European Football Championship 2000 which is going to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands, after the decisive match of 8th group for qualifications played in Zagreb versus Croatia, with a final score 2:2 (2:1), winning the first place in the group. From 8th group for qualifications, Republic of Ireland won the barrage, since it played this evening in Skoplje against Macedonia 1:1, and placed itself to the second place in the group.
The best Yugoslav players achieved great result in the first half. Croatia used only one chance, eventhough they had many, while the "blue" boys had almost 100% efficiency.
Slavisa Jokanovic (left)
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Unfortunately, three minutes before the end of the first half, Mirkovic reacted unsportsmanlike, and the Spanish referee Garcia Aranda was forced to show him the way to the dressing room. Croatia had two more chances before the end of the first half. This time, however, goalkeeper Kralj distinguished himself with his interventions, so the first half was finished with the lead of the "blue" boys.
Having a player less, the blue managed to block all attacks of the rivals in the second half. They yielded only once, but they managed to keep the "cool head" and took the chance to win in Zagreb.
GOALS...
1:0, minute 20 - Defense of our team fell a sleep for a moment, and Suker used the chance, passing the ball to Boksic, who didn't find it hard to hit the goal.
1:1, minute 26 - The joy of Croatian football players didn't last long. After the free kick of Mihajlovic, the ball hits the back of Stanic and ends up in the goal of hosts.
1:2, minute 31 - New joy of the "blue": Mihajlovic had a free kick from almost the same place. This time Stankovic was on a right place. Croatian goalkeeper reacted clumsy and Yugoslavia led.
2:2, minute 46 - After the centershot of Boksic from the left side, Stanic jumped and hit the goal.
Boskov praise his chosen men
Zagreb, October 9 (Tanjug) - Federal selector Vujadin Boskov praised tonight Yugoslav football players for success in playing a tie draw match in Zagreb and for qualification to the European Championship, eventhough they were playing for 48 minutes with one player less and under the pressure of loud support of Croatian public.
Savo Milosevic (left)
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Boskov said at the press conference after the match that the Yugoslav team had luck, but he also stressed that the Croatian team had luck as well, because they played on their ground and in front of their public, and also had a player more during the almost whole match.
He praised the goalkeeper Ivica Kralj who gave the confidence to the other players with his interventions, so they managed favorable result.
Giving a comment on expression of Mirkovic, the federal selector said that he was, under the pressure of big responsibility, nervous so that's why he didn't react as he should, because if he hadn't repaid to Jarni, only Croatian player would be punished, and the referee saw Mirkovic's hit and expelled him.
Celebration in Belgrade after standing of "blue" team for European Championship
Belgrade, October 10 (Tanjug) - As soon as the Spanish referee Garcia Aranda gave a sign that the match in Zagreb was finished, the sirens of the automobiles "woke up" Belgrade.
The meeting place, as it is usual in such situations, was The Republic Square. The columns of automobiles were coming from all parts of the town, and the Yugoslav flags were fluttering.
There were so many Yugoslav signs, and the Yugoslav players, who showed what they knew in Zagreb, gave biggest contribution for that. The names of Kralj, Mihajlovic, Mijatovic and others who achieved the result which "suits", were dominating in all conversations.
"We're going to the airport" was a sentence heard at the Belgrade streets, where the success of Yugoslav football players was celebrated the same way when our basket- or volleyball players won European and world trophies.
"Blue" team arrives to Belgrade
Belgrade, October 9 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav football team arrived tonight to Belgrade at around 1:30 a.m. by a special plane from Zagreb, where they won in a decisive match against Croatia (2:2) direct participation in the European Championship which is to be held next year in Belgium and the Netherlands.
More than 1.000 supporters waited for the "blue" at the airport, who cordially saluted the national football players.
Dejan Stankovic, who gave the second goal for the Yugoslav team said that his dress number "six" brought him luck once again adding: "We did everything in such decisive match, what tells everything about the possibilities of our team".
Predrag Mijatovic: "It was fantastic match in which we showed that we can do so much when we play one for another".
Sinisa Mihajlovic, the best player of the match in Zagreb:"We dedicate this tie draw result, which is equal to victory, to our nation".
Great disappointment in Croatia
Zagreb, October 10 (Tanjug) - Croatia is grieving today for failure of its football team in qualifications for European Championship, and the disappointment is bigger because the Croatian European hopes were buried by nobody else, but Yugoslavs.
Fantastic free-kicks:
Sinisa Mihajlovic
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The sadness, caused by a tie draw in a match against Yugoslav football players, which practically meant a defeat, was expressed today in Croatian press with titles "The end of bronze fairy tale", "From afternoon euphoria to evening depression", "From optimism to sadness", "The Fortune was not Croatian". Some of the titles show the mood in Croatia after the match played last night.
Depressed for defeat of Croatian football players, the commentator or magazine "Novi list" published in Rijeka said that the last night was a night of sorrow in Maksimir and whole Croatia.
ALL 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
- August 21, 1999, Croatia - Malta 2-1
- September 1, 1999, Republic of Ireland - YUGOSLAVIA 2-1
- September 4, 1999, Croatia - Republic of Ireland 1-0
- September 5, 1999, YUGOSLAVIA - Macedonia 3-1
- September 8, 1999, Malta - Republic of Ireland 2-3
- September 8, 1999, Macedonia - YUGOSLAVIA 2-4
- October 9, 1999, Croatia - YUGOSLAVIA 2-2
- October 9, 1999, Macedonia - Republic of Ireland 1-1
FINAL STANDINGS IN GROUP EIGHT
| |
Games |
W |
D |
L |
F/A |
Points |
| YUGOSLAVIA |
8 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
18-8 |
17 |
| REPUBLIC OF IRELAND |
8 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
14-6 |
16 |
| CROATIA |
8 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
13-9 |
15 |
| MACEDONIA |
8 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
13-14 |
8 |
| MALTA |
8 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
6-27 |
0 |
