Australian warm-up for Yugoslavia
Tuesday, February 4, 2003
Article summary
Yugoslavia will face Australia in a friendly five days before their crucial qualifier against Wales.
Article body
Yugoslavia have agreed to play a friendly international against Australia on 28 March in Kruševac as a final preparation for their crucial UEFA EURO 2004™ Group 9 qualifier against Wales on 2 April.
'Tough opponent'
"I wanted the team to face a tough opponent before the Wales game and that's what I have got," said Yugoslavia coach Dejan Savicevic. "Australia will come with their best players and they play in a similar style to our EURO 2004™ opponents."
Wales date
Yugoslav Football Association (FSJ) general secretary Branko Bulatović added of the Mladost stadium fixture: "We want our team to play in different stadiums across the country and that is the reason we are playing [this game] outside Belgrade. However, the match against Wales will be played at the FK Crvena Zvezda stadium in the capital."
Azerbaijan test
Yugoslavia are currently second in Group 9 with four points from their first two games, having drawn with Italy and beaten Finland. They will have a chance to leapfrog Wales when they tackle Azerbaijan on 12 February in their next qualifier, although the Welsh are in action against the same opposition on 29 March.
