Norway, Slovenia still dreaming of quarter-finals

Slovenia’s only hope is for them to beat Norway and for Yugoslavia to beat Spain. Spain will go through if they beat Yugoslavia, a draw would be good enough if Norway lose to Slovenia, but a loss would mean they exit from the competition.

Yugoslavia need a point to ensure qualification and a draw would be good enough for Norway as long as Spain do not beat Yugoslavia.

Norway coach Nils Johan Semb and Slovenian opposite number Srecko Katanec will not be sitting around with pads and pencils working out the possibilities. Winning is the best option for both teams playing in this European championship finals for the first time.

Norway’s injured Henning Berg will miss the match while several other players picked up knocks in the bruising battle with Yugoslavia in Liege, Belgium on Sunday.

Slovenia’s skipper Darko Milanic will be suspended for the match after picking up two yellow cards. The Slovenes had light training on Monday but will be try out at Arnhem stadium on Tuesday.

Star player Zlatko Zahovic may be joint top scorer in Euro 2000 with three goals but he was not a happy man after the Spain debacle.

"I am disappointed," said Zahovic. "We were as good as Spain. Sometimes we are lacking in concentration but we are not used to playing against the big teams.

Slovenia looked set to cause a shock upset in their opening match against neighbours Yugoslavia when they led 3-0 with two goals from Zahovic and another by Miran Pavlin. Yugoslavia hit back to amazingly score three goals in seven minutes – two from Savo Milosevic and another by Ljubinko Drulovic, leaving Slovenia to hang on for the draw in a nerve-jangling final quarter-hour.

In Slovenia’s other game in Amsterdam on Sunday, a fourth-minute strike from Raul gave Spain, who would have been eliminated if they had lost this match with the smallest country ever to play at this level, the perfect start. After 58 minutes Zahovic squared the match with his third goal of the tournament.

But just two minutes later Joseba Etxeberria hit back for Spain with what proved to be the winning goal after good work by Gaizka Mendieta. Norway got their campaign on track with an impressive 1-0 opening win against Spain in Rotterdam on Tuesday with a score from Steffen Iversen midway through the second half.

They lost by the same score to Yugoslavia in Liege, Belgium, on Sunday however when Milosevic, tournament joint top-scorer with Zahovic, scored in the eighth minute. This is Slovenia’s first appearance in a major football finals since they broke away from Yugoslavia in the turmoil of the early 1990’s. (AFP)