Bosnia Herzegovina 1 -
Spain 2
By our international
correspondent Borja Pantzov
Bosnia: Guso;
Hujdorovic, Mujcin (Topic 80'), Hibic, Varesanovic, Salihamidzic, Sabic
(Moratovic 86'), Akrapovic, Barbarez, Baljic, Bolic..
Spain: Casillas;
Manuel Pablo, Abelardo, Paco, Sergi; Mendieta, Iván Helguera, Gerard
(Guerrero 84'), Munitis (Etxeberria 58'); Raúl, Urzaiz (Celades 69').
Goals: 0-1. 38. Gerard.
Took Medieta's pass with his heel and shot into roof of net. 1-1. 41.
Baljic. Free kick from wide on right which went through a crowd of players.
1-2. 71. Etxeberria. First time volley from edge of area as ball fell after
clearance.
Hello, Borja here together
with my good mate Goran reporting on Spain's opening match for the World Cup
qualifiers. Well there must of been some mistake here, Mr. Blatter's people
seem to have drawn us against two teams at once, Bosnia and Herzegovina! Maybe,
I thought, it is one of those double headers that you get in baseball. With so
many matches to play in a season they are now loading them up two at a time?
But no, my Balkans advisor Goran Arsic assures me that there is only one match
and that Bosnia Herzegovina is the name given to one of the countries formed
after the breaking up of Yugoslavia. Goran is going to be very useful in the
future with so many new countries appearing every day. Before long nine out of
every ten countries we play will be from East Europe if this keeps up. Anyway,
Goran says that this should be an easy one for Spain and I shouldn't worry.
Shouldn't worry? We're off to unknown territory where the only Spaniards are
soldiers from the UN peacekeeping force and there are a reported one million
unexploded landmines lying around? I mentioned this to my doctor during my
annual check-up last week and he reassuringly told me that they are now
recommending a stroll down Sarajevo high street as a sure cure for patients
suffering from acute constipation. Funny sense of humour he's got, my doctor.
A quick look at the team
sheets. After the disaster against Germany Camacho has made more changes and
brought back a few old faces. In come Sergi, Helguera, Munitis and Urzaiz from
the Euro 2000 squad, and Julen Guerrero and Celades were called up after
playing well in their pre-season matches. Morientes was still injured, and
Guardiola limped out of training (he is likely to be out for up to three
months) and was replaced by Dani. The big change though was in goal, where
Casillas was included in the starting line up for the first time. This was not
a bad move; Casillas is young and has much to learn, but he is no worse than
the four of five keepers Camacho has used recently and if he is to be the man
of the future better he start now. As for Bosnia, Goran reminded me that three
of their team (Hibic, Baljic and Bolic) play or have played in Spain, and
Salihamidzic (try saying that after five pints of lager) plays for Bayern
Munich. Nuff said.
Well we finally arrive at
the Kosevo stadium in Sarajevo. All around the country there are signs of the
recent war and it is hard to imagine what it must have been like to live
through it. Still, the atmosphere is lively, although Goran advises me not to
shout 'shoot' even if Raúl is five yards away from the goal, as some of
the old sharpshooters may still have itchy trigger fingers. As I look up at the
end where all the Spanish flags are waving, at first I think that we have been
misinformed by the press - Spain must be playing in khaki shirts, as all the
Spanish supporters are wearing what must be their team colours. But no, it's
just the 650 or so soldiers in full battle uniform. I feel a little bit safer
at least.
The first few minutes of the
match belong to the home side, and Bosnia are unlucky not to be awarded a
penalty for a possible hand ball by Abelardo. With the season in Spain not yet
started the Spanish players are lacking match practice, and we start to get a
bit concerned as Baljic, keen to show Real Madrid that they made a mistake
letting him go on loan to Fenerbahce, shoots just wide. But then Spain come
back, and Guso is forced to make a brilliant save from a Mendieta free kick.
Casillas saves from Bolic and then 'gol, gol, gol', Mendieta lobs a pass to the
edge of the area and Gerard, bringing the ball through with his heel, passes
his defender and drives the ball into the roof of the net. But then disaster
strikes just as we are settling down. Bosnia win a free kick wide on the right
and Baljic strikes the ball hard and low. There should have been no danger, but
somehow the ball creeps round/through the wall and past a crowd of players into
the net. Back to the starting blocks, and we are lucky not to go into the break
one down as Bolic places a shot wide.
Early into the second half
Camacho brings on Etxeberria for Munitis (on the left!) and Celades comes on
for Urzaiz, his first appearance since Camacho took over. Raúl is left
alone up front (incidentally he makes a real pig's ear of a shot with his left
foot) and Camacho appears to be going for the draw as Bosnia press forward,
with Baljic and Barbarez both going close. But then the miracle happens. The
ball bobbles up in the air after a headed clearance, and Etxeberria, on the
edge of the area, hits it on the volley as it drops. Only one of these goes in
out of every 100, but this is the one and the ball speeds past Guso and into
the 'saco de cebollos'. There is a wave of khaki, red and yellow as the tension
breaks, and then it is all Iker Casillas as he keeps out the Bosnia front line,
including one spectacular point blank save from Hujdorovic. Julen comes on for
Gerard near the end to calm things down, but Spain are old hands at this and
they keep possession until referee Herr Fandel of Germany blows the final
whistle. Spain have got out of jail and record their first three points, but
you have to feel sorry for Bosnia, who deserved more. Hopefully things will
improve when Israel visit the Bernabeu in Madrid next month.
After the match we stop in a
local bar for a beer. In walks a Serb and says 'a drink for everyone in the
house'. 'That'll cost you a bomb' says the barman. 'It's under the table',
replies the Serb, 'and you've got ten minutes to get out'. 'Last orders
gentlemen please', calls our host. We decide it's time to go....
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