World Cup Team Checks: Serbia & Montenegro
April 1, 2006
World Cup Qualifiers
Spain was considered the top hopeful from Group 7 to qualify directly for the World Cup. Belgium was also a contender for this spot. But it was the team from Serbia and Montenegro that passed through the qualifiers without a defeat. So in the end, it led the group. Favorite Spain only reached second place and had to enter the play-offs to qualify.
Stars
Serbia and Montenegro got their World Cup ticket of all things in a duel with neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the home match, the Serbs ensured their participation in Germany with a 1:0 victory. Mateja Kezman shot the decisive goal. It was the striker's fifth goal in the qualifiers and elevated him to the status of ultimate hero by the fans. The most well-known player in host country Germany is Bundesliga pro Mladen Krstajic from FC Schalke 04.
Trainer
Ilija Petkovic coaches the team from Serbia and Montenegro. Petkovic replaced Dejan Savicevic in 2003. Savicevic had to vacate his chair following a disastrous game against Azerbaijan in the European Cup qualifiers in 2004. It was apparently not a bad choice. The team has not lost one compulsory game since Petkovic took over.
World Cup History
Serbia and Montenegro are participating in the World Cup for the first time. It took part under the banner of Yugoslavia until 2003 -- the last time in 1998, where it reached the round of 16.
Match Schedule: Preliminary Round
June 11, 2006: Serbia and Montenegro -- Netherlands in Leipzig
June 16, 2006: Argentina -- Serbia and Montenegro in Gelsenkirchen
June 21, 2006: Côte d'Ivoire -- Serbia and Montenegro in Munich
World Cup Base
The team is residing in the Hotel Weißenburg in Billerbeck, North Rhine-Westphalia.
Outlook
The Balkan country can only hope to survive the preliminary round with group opponents of the caliber of Argentina and the Netherlands. The former Yugoslavia managed this the last time in 1998, when it advanced into the round of 16 at the World Cup in France. The smooth ride through the qualifiers has fans hoping for more in Germany, though. And who knows? Maybe Ilija Petkovic's team could offer a surprise or two at this World Cup.