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Spain's to lose Norway, Yugoslavia could derail Spanish in Group C
Posted: Thursday June 08, 2000 09:26 PM
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Spain and Norway should stroll through Group C if qualifying and warmup performances are anything to go by. Right from the start, Group C has been classified as the easiest of the four in Euro 2000, particularly for Spain. The only uncertainty seems to be who will accompany the side to the second round -- Norway or Yugoslavia -- while few expect more than a spirited performance from novice Slovenia. Yugoslavia, once a giant in European soccer but barred from the last two championships for political reasons, starts its campaign against neighbor Slovenia in Charleroi. Spain plays Norway that day, June 13. A tournament favorite, Spain believes it got a taste of what the Norwegians have to offer in its friendly against another Scandinavian side, Sweden, which ended 1-1 last weekend. Norway felt similarly when they took on Italy and won 1-0. "This game showed us that the first match against Norway is not going to be easy," said Spanish coach Jose Antonio Camacho. The draw shored up Spain's impressive record of having lost only once -- in a friendly -- in the 17 games played since Camacho took over in September 1998 to inject new life into a squad notorious for letdowns. During his reign, Spain has a score sheet of 54 goals in favor and just nine against. Yet Spain hs only ever won one title, the European Champioships back in 1964. "I think that up to now we've never really believed in ourselves as candidates for the title," said FC Barcelona's midfielder Josep Guardiola. "Maybe it's time to believe it once and for all." Guardiola forms the backbone of Camacho's team along with Real Madrid players Fernando Hierro and Raul Gonzalez. Raul, 22 and possibly Europe's most talented young striker, poses the only doubt as he missed the Swedish match because of a minor muscle injury. Norway, under Nils Johan Semb, also topped an impressive run-up record of one defeat in eight warm-up matches when it beat Italy on Saturday. Like Spain, it lost its opening qualifying group game but has not looked back since. The side, whose best placing in international soccer was the second round in the 1998 World Cup in France, will be looking to the experience of a half-dozen players who play for major European clubs, including Henning Berg and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of Manchester United, striker Tore Andre Flo of England's Chelsea and midfielder John Arne Riise of French titlist Monaco. The Italian win helped erase doubts Sembhad the previous week when he was fiercely unhappy with the side's performances against Slovakia when it showed several flaws despite winning 2-0. It also lost 2-0 at home against Belgium during the preparation campaign. "We'll have to perform better in the Euro 2000 when we play sides like Spain and Yugoslavia," said Semb. Yugoslavia has proved to be the most disappointing in the run-up games with its embarrassing 4-2 defeat against Hong Kong's South China club this weekend demonstrating that something is seriously amiss. Hailed in the past as the "European Brazilians," Yugoslavia has a startling array of crack players including lethal free-kicker Sinisa Mihajlovic, seasoned midfielder Vladimir Jugovic and striker Pedrag Mijatovic. But wracked by political problems back home, Yugoslavia comes into the Euro 2000 still smarting from having being excluded from the 1992 and 1996 championships and the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Unable to find teams closer to home to play before going to Euro 2000 the squad had to settle for a tour of Asia. "Yugoslavia has much better players than all the other teams in the finals," said coach Vujadin Boskov. "Our only problem, is that they are based in foreign clubs and only get together at occasions such as this. But if we are smart and manage to solve this problem, I am convinced we can be European Champions." Boskov has admitted that the players' problem could be "psychological and we have to do something about it before the tournament starts." National pride is certain to play a role when it meets Slovenia. Slovenia, formally a part of Yugoslavia, is making its debut in an international tournament. Led buy midfielder Zlatko Zahovic, the side has pulled off some surprises so far. In the qualifiers it ousted Ukraine and then in April went 2-0 up against 1998 World Champion France in a warm-up before losing 3-2. "Those who expect miracles might be disappointed," said Zahovic, who plays for Greek side Olympiakos Piraeus. "But they can count on us exhausting every atom throughout the 90 minutes."
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