日韩精品久久一区二区三区_亚洲色图p_亚洲综合在线最大成人_国产中出在线观看_日韩免费_亚洲综合在线一区

Make me your Homepage
left corner left corner
China Daily Website

Croatian novice takes on Iceland's old master

Updated: 2013-11-15 07:43
By Reuters in Reykjavik ( China Daily)

A coaching novice takes on a wily veteran when Croatia meets Iceland in the first leg of its World Cup playoff in Reykjavik on Friday.

The Nordic nation is in touching distance of a first appearance in a major finals.

Iceland's Swedish coach, Lars Lagerback, brings a wealth of major tournament experience to the home side while, in contrast, Croatia coach Niko Kovac has been thrown in at the deep end after Igor Stimac was dismissed last month.

Lagerback, 65, took Sweden to the finals of five major championships during an 11-year stint, first as an assistant and then as head coach.

He also led Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and the Icelandic soccer faithful hope he can deliver it to the promised land of a major finals for the first time.

Kovac's coaching history is modest by comparison.

He was only appointed as Croatia's Under-21 coach in January before stepping up when Stimac was fired after taking just one point from its final four qualifiers and ending up in the playoffs.

Lagerback has been blessed while leading Iceland because a golden generation of Under-21 players has graduated to the senior team.

Many of them took part in the European Under-21 championship in Denmark in 2011, and the squad is now peppered with players playing for big-name European clubs.

"We'll play our game and, like I've done with Sweden and Nigeria, we'll look at their strengths and possible weaknesses and then prioritize certain things in our game," Lagerback said.

"In the playoffs it's a little special as you have a home and away match, and away goals count double.

"If we can keep a clean sheet then they have to score twice as many goals as us in the away game.

"I believe in well-organized play on both defense and attack," he said, indicating Iceland will be no different from any other team he has managed: organized defensively and very hard-working.

But so far Lagerback's squad has looked suspect on defense, yielding 15 goals in qualifying to tie Cyprus with the worst defensive record in Group E.

Luckily, it also tied with top side Switzerland with 17 goals for the best offensive record, and Lagerback is confident his side can continue to score against Croatia.

Leading the line will be Kolbeinn Sigthorsson of Ajax Amsterdam, who has netted 13 goals in 19 internationals and is a constant threat up front.

On the bench, veteran Eidur Gudjohnsen, currently with Club Bruges, will be hoping for a victorious end to what will be the last major qualifying campaign for the 35-year-old former Barcelona, Chelsea and Monaco striker.

If Iceland succeeds, Gudjohnsen will almost certainly be part of the squad in Brazil before calling it quits on his international career.

Croatia will miss leftback Ivan Strinic in both legs through an abdominal injury and Danijel Pranjic, who has been recalled after a 16-month absence, is likely to fill in unless Kovac decides to reshuffle the back four.

(China Daily 11/15/2013 page24)

8.03K
 
Hot Topics
...
...
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国产一区二区三区免费观看 | 色播欧美 | 在线观看亚洲一区二区三区 | 久久香蕉国产线看观看网站 | 欧美日韩性生活 | 日本天堂一区 | 亚洲成人午夜在线 | 亚洲视频在线一区 | xxx视频| 国产欧美高清 | 免费看一级视频 | 成人性视频免费网站 | 亚洲特级aaaaaa毛片 | 亚洲一区二区三区四区在线观看 | 啊啊啊网站 | 排球少年第五季樱花动漫免费观看 | 欧美区日韩区 | 国产亚洲一级精品久久 | 色综合成人 | 91资源在线观看 | 黄片毛片一级 | 国产成人18黄禁网站免费观看 | 欧美 video | 91免费在线视频 | 亚洲精品影院 | 久草青青草 | 污污的网站免费在线观看 | 婷婷视频网 | 欧美精品在线一区二区三区 | 一级特黄录像视频免费 | 亚洲久久视频 | 国产精品久久99 | 国产免费观看一区 | 日日夜夜视频 | 黄网站在线观看高清免费 | 毛片少妇爽到高潮特黄A片 六月色播 | 国产japan色系videos护士 日韩精品视频在线免费观看 | 毛片免费观看 | 免费又粗又硬进去好爽A片视频 | 成人国产精品一区 | 亚州精品天堂中文字幕 |