International Friendly Preview: Germany v Serbia And Montenegro
Germany - Serbia and Montenegro | Latest News | Match Preview | News Archive
Rudi Voeller (Allsport)
04/29/2003. Germany coach Rudi Voeller will have to make due with almost a dozen players that are usually considered firm squad members when the 'Nationalmannschaft' take on Serbia and Montenegro (formerly known as Yugoslavia) in an intriguing international friendly in Bremen on Wednesday.
Voeller's prudent decision to rest Michael Ballack, who just came back from a nagging ankle injury ?means that for the first time in over five years there will be no Bayern Munich players in the German squad, as Kahn and Jeremies are part of a high-profile injury list which also includes Dietmar Hamann, Neuville and Boehme.
"At the end of the season you always have plenty of players injured. The date is not really convenient but we have to play that game and do the best we can," reasoned the former Roma striker, who has had to dig deep in the reserves by calling up the less than experienced Michael Hartmann (Hertha) and Hanno Balitsch.
Serbia and Montenegro coach Dejan Savicevic is struggling for options as well, as Lazio duo Sinisa Mihajlovic and Dejan Stankovic have been afforded a much needed rest while Real Sociedad goal-machine Darko Kovacevic is out injured. The absence of the former Juventus super-sub has been compounded by the recent decision of PSV prodigy Mateja Kezman to quit the national team due to the lack of respect he feels he is receiving from Savicevic.
"This will be an important test for my young team," said the former San Siro darling ahead of the match, "anything other than a loss will be considered a success."
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International Friendly Report: Germany Blank Serbia And Montenegro
Germany - Yugoslavia | Latest News | Match Report | News Archive
04/30/2003.
A heavily depleted Germany narrowly beat Serbia and Montenegro 1-0 in a rather dour international friendly in Bremen on Wednesday.
The visitors from the Balkans helped to ensure that it would be far from an action-packed affair by rarely coming out of their defensive shell, but nevertheless it was Dejan Savicevic's side that managed to fashion the best chance of the first-half. A good flick on by Milosevic set Jestrovic loose on goal but his shot was blocked by the face (!) of Rost, who was deputizing for Kahn.
The Schalke keeper had to come up big on a couple of occasions in the early stages of the second 45, before Germany finally began to get a grip on the game. The 60th minute winner was ultimately deserved but hardly memorable as a speculative effort by Kehl was hopelessly spilled into his own net by Jevric.
The win will come as a welcome boost for Germany ahead of their Group 5 meeting with joint-leaders Scotland on 7 June, while Serbia and Montenegro have been left with fresh doubts ahead of their Group 9 meeting with Finland on the same day.
Germany: F. Rost - A. Friedrich, Baumann, Wörns, Hartmann - Freier, Ramelow, Kehl - Frings - Bobic, Kuranyi
Serbia and Montenegro: Jevric - Vidic, Krstajic, Stefanovic - Kovacevic, Trobok, Vukic, Malbasa, Mirkovic - Jestrovic, Milosevic
Subs: 46. Klose für Bobic, 66. Hinkel für A. Friedrich, 72. Asamoah für Freier, 76. Lauth für Kuranyi - 46. Lazetic für Mirkovic, 61. Mijatovic für Jestrovic, 73. Boskovic für Vukic, 78. Brnovic für Kovacevic, 81. Markoski für Malbasa, 85. Iliev für Trobok
soccerage
My heart = INTER...No Matter Win or Lose...
Zanetti : I still remember my first day at Inter. I arrived with a plastic bag with my boots inside and I crossed the crowd of fans who were asking who I was. That's where it all started.....
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