Group I
Venue: Nehru Stadium, Kochin; KERALA
Date: January 12, 2001
Date: January 14, 2001
Date: January 16, 2001
© indianfootball.com 2000-01
#
Country
P
W
D
L
GF-GA
Pts
1.
Yugoslavia
2
1
1
0
05-02
4
2.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
2
1
1
0
03-01
4
3.
Bangladesh
2
0
0
2
01-06
0
Time: 7.30 pm
Match: Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 Bangladesh
Goals: 1-0,2-0 Almedin Hota (55',58').
Antony John reports that Bosnian striker Almedin Hota demolished Bangladesh resistance with two quick goals after the
break in the Sahara Cup soccer Group one match at Kochi today to buoy his team's spirit ahead of a historic meeting with
Yugoslavia on Sunday.
After 45 minutes of dour defending, Bangladesh defence cracked within a quarter of an hour after the break. A chip by
Dalibor Nedic undid the Bangladesh defence that showed a trace of panic which Hota exploited to the hilt, courtesy a quick
cross by Mirzet Krupinac near the right edge of the area. Hota slotted home easily. In the 58th minute Hota, on a roll, did
justice to substitute Mirsad Belija's cross from the right, delivering in style with a side volley. Bangladesh's pragmatism
paid off for the first 45 minutes. they gave ample evidence of planning, keeping in mind the chasm in experience and
techniques between the sides.
The Bosnians with six players doing duty in the world cup qualifiers meant business from the outset and inevitably,
experienced Bangladesh goalie Aminul Haque was drawn into frantic action.
BOSNIA: Adman Guso, Omer Joldic, Sasa Papac, Munever Rizvic, Dalibor Nedic, Mirzet Krupinac, Almedit Hota, Milan
Pzren (Mirsad Beslija), Dzelaludin Muharemovic, Admir Adzem, Sead Seferovic.
BANGLADESH: Aminul Hoque, Biplab Battacharjee, Mohammed Sujon, Rajani Kantabarman, Firoj Mahmud Hussain, Zulfiker
Marmod, Iqbal Hossain, Mohd Motiur Rahman, Alfaz Ahmed, Saifur Rahman.
Time: 5.30 pm
Match: Yugoslavia 1-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina
Goals: 0:1 Mirsad Beslija (75'), 1:1 Dusan Petkovic (86').
Antony John reports in a match of blistering pace, Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina drew 1-1 in Group I of the Sahara
Cup at Kochi’s Nehru Stadium, here on Sunday.
With much attention rendered to the first-ever meeting between the two nations, the match assumed importance, days
earlier, and for the few thousand fans to turn up on the weekend holiday, the contest provided maybe, the tournament’s first
quality match.
Either side missed a penalty and spurned chances; and the honour of scoring fell to substitute Mirsad Beslija, who put
Bosnia ahead with a shot from 25 yards that gave Lucic Zarko no chance in the Yugoslav goal in the 75th minute.
However, Yugoslavia, seemingly destined to lose with a spate of missed chances, split honours when Petkovic Dusan
equalized with just four minutes to go from a free-kick that took a deflection and entered courageous Adnan Guso's goal.
With the match a mere five minutes old, Bosnia earned a penalty awarded by Malaysian referee Halim Abdul Hamid when Dusan
Petrovic brought down Almedin Hota, but skipper Dzelaludin Muheramovic produced damp squib that went to the right of the goal.
Yugoslavia, who enjoyed the better possession, then wrested the initiative, but Guso stood firm with saves to keep the
rampaging Yugoslavs at bay, helped to a certain extent by the waywardness of strikers Osmanovic Dejan and Ilic Sasa.
Yugoslovia continued in similar vein in the second half and missed a penalty themselves when skipper Sasa drew a great
save from Guso.
It were the Bosnians, who erupted into joy after substitute Beslija struck and it seemed that Yugoslavia would fight a
vain battle against destiny, as they came desperately close to scoring so often as the minutes ticked by.
With Bosnia heading towards a historic win, honours and points were deservingly split when Dusan struck from 30 yards.
YUGOSLAVIA: Zarko Lucic, Vuk Rasovic, Milivoje Cirkovic, Igor Duljaj, Goran Trobok, Dejan Osmanovic, Dejan
Radenovic , Sasa Ilic, Vladimir Ivic, Dusan Petkovic, Jovan Transijevic, Igor Bogdanovic, Vladan Kostic, Dragoljub Jeremic.
BOSNIA: Adnan Guso, Tomer Joldic, Asmir Ikanovic, Munever Dizvic, Dalibor Nedic, Mirzet Krupinac, Almedin Hota,
Zehrudin Kavazovic, Dzelaudin, Admir Adzem, Sead Seferovic.
Referee: Halim Abdul Hamid (Malaysia)
Time: 7 pm
Match:Yugoslavia 4-1 Bangladesh
Goals: 0:1 Firoz Hussain (6'), 1:1 Sasa Ilic (19',38'), 3:1 Vuk Rasocic (80'), 4:1 Goran Trobok (89').
Anthony John reports Bangladesh stunned Yugoslavia in the sixth minute with a counter attack goal, but Yugoslavia
recovered and romped home to a 4-1 win. Bangladesh, were beaten, but not disgraced in a Group II match of the Sahara Cup
Football Tournament at Kochi's Nehru Stadium, on Tuesday.
The result enables Yugoslavia top the group, leaving Bosnia-Herzgovina at second spot while Bangladesh with two defeats
finish at the bottom of the three-team group. The Bosnians, however, have the advantage of staying in Kochi for their
quarter-final clash with Uruguay, winners of Group II in Thursday's match. Yugoslavia travel to Goa to take on Rumania in
their quarter-final.
Bangladesh shot into an early lead and enjoyed a dream for a whole 12 minutes before Yugoslavia, hot favourites for the
title, drew level in the 19th minute.
Firoz Hussain put the Asian side ahead when the Yugoslavs appeared to hesitate for an off-side, but skipper Ilic Sasa
scored two goals to haul the East Europeans back by the 38th minute. Rasovik Vuk and Goran Trobok scored in the last ten
minutes to swell the scoreline after the Bangladesh side had done enough to win the admiration of the crowd with a courageous
though pragmatic display yet again.
Bangladesh shot into the lead in the seventh minute when Hussain went through unchallenged to slot past Stevanovic Sasa
from Mohammad Shaifur's pass, as the Yugoslav defence appeared to await an off-side call.
Ilic Sasa drew level in the 19th minute, accepting Cirkovic Milivoje's cross and scored a carbon copy of the goal in the
38th minute - Milivoje paving way in similar fashion for the Sasa's coup de grace.
YUGOSLAVIA: Sasa Stefanovic, Vuk Rasovic, Milivoje Cirkovic, Igor Duljaj, Goran Trobok, Sasa Ilic, Vladimir Ivic,
Dusan Petkovic, Milos Kruscic, Igor Bogdanovic, Milan Belic.
Bangladesh: Aminul Haque, Firoz Hussain, Hassan Al Mamun, Motiur Munna, Iqbal Hossain, Shaifur Rahman, Alfaz
Ahmed, Zulfiqar Mahamud, Monwar Hossen, Rajani Kanta Barman, Mohammed Sujon.