Slovenia out to sign off in style against Serbs
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
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Slovenia have lost three out of four at home in Group C but will bid to end their campaign on a high note when Serbia make their first visit to Maribor as an independent nation.
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After three defeats in four Group C home fixtures, Slovenia will look to at least end their UEFA EURO 2012 campaign on a positive note as Serbia come to Maribor for the first time as an independent nation.
• The teams drew 1-1 in their opening Group C meeting on 7 September 2010, Nikola Žigić striking four minutes from time to cancel out Milivoje Novakovič's 63rd-minute opener for Slovenia.
• Slovenia have now played five matches against Yugoslavia, Serbia & Montenegro and the independent Serbia, with the record W0 D5 L0 (W0 D2 L0 at home). Four of games – including both the encounters in Slovenia – ended 1-1.
• Slovenia's first match against Yugoslavia was also the most famous as the sides drew 3-3 in the group stage of UEFA EURO 2000. The match in Charleroi on 13 June 2000 was a classic, with Slovenia storming into a 3-0 lead courtesy of goals from Zlatko Zahovič (23 and 57) either side of a Miran Pavlin (52) strike.
• Despite the 60th-minute dismissal of Siniša Mihajlović, Yugoslavia hit back to claim a point courtesy of three goals in six minutes from Savo Milošević (67 and 73) and Ljubinko Drulović (70). Slovenia, competing in their first major championship as an independent nation, finished bottom of Group C while Yugoslavia advanced as runners-up behind Spain.
• The following year, Slovenia and Yugoslavia met again in qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Both games ended 1-1.
• Milošević was on target again in the opening fixture in Ljubljana on 28 March 2001 to give Yugoslavia a 33rd-minute lead, only for Zahovič to earn his side a point with an equaliser in the fourth minute of added time.
• The return in Belgrade on 5 September 2001 had an identical outcome, although this time Željko Milinovič put Slovenia ahead after ten minutes before Predrag Djordjević restored parity shortly after the break. Slovenia went on to qualify for the World Cup for the first time while Yugoslavia missed out.
• More recently, Slovenia took on Serbia and Montenegro in a friendly in Ljubljana on 18 August 2004, and once again the scoreline was 1-1.
