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Walking wounded
Yugoslavia nursing injuries as they meet healthy Dutch
Posted: Sunday June 28, 1998 05:32 PM
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Mijatovic, who was substituted in the 31st minute of Yugoslavia's match against the United States, is suffering from an ailing left knee (AP) |
TOULOUSE, France (AP) --
For the Dutch, concentration is the key to their second-round match. For
the Yugoslavs, it's recuperation. A clutch of Yugoslav players
are nursing injuries ahead of Monday's clash in Toulouse, among them, Real
Madrid's Predrag Mijatovic. The Dutch are physically fit, but
coach Guus Hiddink is more concerned with preparing his players mentally
for the knockout stage of the World Cup. "For us, in this
phase of the World Cup, we must be super-concentrated and motivated,"
Hiddink said. "We must be careful, particularly in situations
when there is no apparent danger." In their last Group E
match, the Dutch let slip a 2-0 lead against Mexico,
conceding a brace of late goals as their minds apparently wandered to the
next round. "In the back of our minds, we knew a draw was
enough," midfielder Ronald de Boer said. Considered serious
title contenders, the Dutch qualified with just one win and two draws from
an easy group, made up of Mexico, South Korea
and Belgium.
Yugoslavia,
placed in a tougher qualifying group, ended with seven points, beating the
United
States and Iran and drawing
with group winner Germany.
The qualifying round has given the Yugoslavs confidence going into
Monday's tie. Defender Zeljko Ptrovic said that "the Dutch are
among three-to-four top teams in the world. But so are the Germans who got
outplayed by us." The Germans scored two late goals to draw 2-2.
Captain Dragan Stojkovic said the attacking style the Dutch will suit the
Yugoslavs. "We play badly against defensive teams. The Dutch
will leave us more space in our offense. That is our chance," said
Stojkovic, who will play despite a slight ankle injury.
Suffering from an aching left knee, Mijatovic was substituted in the 31st
minute of Yugoslavia's match against the United States. The Yugoslavs won
the game 1-0. "I didn't want to risk it so I asked for
substitution," Mijatovic said. "It's much more important that I get well
before the game against the Dutch." He will start Monday's match.
Also carrying injuries are defenders Zoran Mirkovic and Miroslav Djukic.
Midfielder Dejan Stankovic, 19, had to be substituted in the second half
with a sore left ankle and striker Darko Kovacevic still has not recovered
from a hamstring injury he suffered in the 2-2 tie with Germany. Both
Djukic and Kovacevic will miss the match. Star midfielder
Dejan Savicevic went into the game in the second half against the
Americans, his first match in two months after suffering a knee ligament
injury. But he clearly was reluctant to enter duels and did not appear
ready for big games. "We have to recuperate and get those
injured players back on the pitch against the Dutch," said defender Sinisa
Mihajlovic, who is nursing a sore knee. "But I'm optimistic as we always
play better against stronger teams." Hiddink can pick AC Milan
striker Patrick Kluivert again following a two-match red card suspension,
but he may stick with Kluivert's replacement, Ronald de Boer, who scored in
both matches he played as a forward. The Netherlands
, twice a losing World Cup finalist, is bidding to reach the quarterfinal
for the second time in succession. In the United States four years ago they
were knocked out by eventual champion Brazil in the
round of eight. Yugoslavia did not play in the last World Cup
finals, but reached the quarterfinals in 1990. Hiddink is
preparing for a tough encounter at Toulouse's Municipal Stadium.
"Balkan teams are technically very good and tactically clever. This
Yugoslav team also has a lot of individual class," he said.
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