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Euros leading scorer ready for more goals against Netherlands |
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June 24, 2000
EDEGEM, Belgium (AP) - Yugoslav striker Savo Milosevic, Euro 2000's leading scorer, said Friday his goals and his team's unpredictability happen to be a winning formula for the quarterfinal match against the favored Netherlands.
Milosevic, who has surprised everyone with four goals in three matches at the European championship, said he never felt moreconfident on the pitch.
"I feel like I can score in every match," said the Real Zaragoza striker, who netted two goals in Yugoslavia's 3-3 dramatic comeback against Slovenia, the lone winner against Norway and Yugoslavia's opening goal in a 4-3 loss to Spain.
"It must drive our opponents mad that they never know how Yugoslavia will play - good or bad," Milosevic said. "If the Dutch think they know our game, they are wrong. "I never know how Yugoslavia will play."
When Yugoslavia was losing 3-0 against Slovenia in the Group Copener and had defender Sinisa Mihajlovic sent off, Milosevic came in from the bench, scoring two goals in a remarkable 3-3 comeback.
And, in the most thrilling match of the tournament, Yugoslavia led three times against Spain only to concede two goals in injury time for a 4-3 loss.
"At least our matches are not boring for the spectators," said Milosevic, who has scored 24 goals in 43 appearances for the national team. "But believe me, they are not much fun for me and my teammates. They are nerve-wracking."
Milosevic, something of a disaster at Aston Villa, has been underrated by both trainers and fans in the past. During his two frustrating seasons in the English Premier League, Villa fans nicknamed him "Mr. Miss" for a series of squandered goal opportunities.
But at the Euros -as well as during the past season in the Spanish first division - Milosevic's play has been impressive, both in front of the goal and outside the box.
Milosevic said that the Netherlands has much more to lose than Yugoslavia in the quarterfinals.
"The pressure will be on the Dutch," Milosevic said. "We have nothing to lose, as the quarterfinals were our original goal before we came to the tournament." His teammates agree.
"It is good for us that the Dutch have already written us off," said midfielder Ljubinko Drulovic, referring to predictions by some Dutch players that they will trounce the Yugoslavs.
"Their arrogance is another motive for us," Drulovic said. "If they think they will win with ease, they are wrong."
Mihajlovic said that the Netherlands "has a great team, but for us the most important thing for us is to end the match with 11 players."
Mihajlovic, young forward Mateja Kezman and midfielder Slavisa Jokanovic have been sent off during each of Yugoslavia's three matches at Euro 2000. In addition, Yugoslavia has collected 13 yellow cards in the tournament, making it the most indisciplined team of the 16.
The Yugoslavs argue that the referees has been biased against them.
Because of the bookings, Jokanovic and Kezman will miss the match against Netherlands. Additional worries for the Yugoslavs are injuries to defender Goran Djorovic - who is ruled out of the match - and key midfielder Vladimir Jugovic who was still recuperating from a back injury.
"If Jugovic doesn't play, we'll have a big problem," Boskov said, adding however: "The only advantage the Netherlands has is that they are playing in front of their fans. And I hope the referee will be fine." |