The best women’s national team of Serbia was defeated by Sweden – 0:2 (0:0) in the first match of the play-off for qualification to the European Championship, which will be held in Switzerland next year.
In most of the match, our girls were equal rivals, but the impression is that they showed too much respect for the guests. Serbia, the second leg will be played on December 3 in Stockholm.
SAGITTARIUS: 0:1 Benison 54, 0:2 Kafaji 70. Stadium: Dubočica in Leskovac. Referee: Katarina Campos (Portugal).
SERBIA: Cetinja, Poljak, Slović, Damjanović, Vlajnić, Milivojević, Blagojević (55. Mijatović), Filipović (84. Stupar), Stokić (84. Čavić), Matejić (64. Petrović), Damnjanović (64. Ivanović). Selector Dragiša Zečević
SWEDEN: Musović, Lundkvist, Bjorn, Eriksson, Anderson, Angeldal, Benison (89th Olme), Aslani (62nd Kafaji), Kanerid (89th Jakobson), Blekstnius, Janogi (62nd Blomkvist). Selector Peter Gerhardson
Our girls played a good first half. It should be noted that Sweden for years at the top of European and world football, a national team whose players play in the strongest European clubs, Chelsea, Arsenal, Real from Madrid, Juventus, Bayern…The selection that was a big favorite before the barrage of duels with Serbia. And during the first 45 minutes of the game, that difference, relatively speaking, was not visible on the field, on the contrary. Selected by the selectors Dragiša Zečevića they left the initiative to the guests, closed all approaches to the goal Cetinje. And except for one occasion when we had a bit of luck, because the shot from a very likely situation ended up near the post, Sweden she didn’t seem like a better rival.
On the other side, Nina Matejić, Jovana Damnjanović and the players waited for the moment to get into a situation to threaten Sweden’s net from the counterattack. They were the closest after a crowd in front of Sweden’s goal, the ball came to the captain Violeta Slovic, she sent a shot, but at the last minute one of the defensive players managed to get into the block and save an already safe goal.
In the opening minutes of the second half, Sweden took the lead from a situation that did not indicate a change in the result. Hanna Bennison accepted one rebound and sent a ground shot from about 18 meters, after which the ball ended up in the lower left corner. The first change in our composition followed, Milica Mijatović replaced Dina Blagojević. Serbia had a fantastic opportunity after the action of Sara Stokić, everyone saw the ball in the net, but it went past the post.
Selector Dragiša Zečević made new changes, Miljana Ivanović and Emilija Petrović were given the trust, instead of Jovana Damnjanović and Nina Matejić. And when we expected maybe a tie, the Swedes took a corner, Kafaji was the highest in the jump and increased the score. Serbia was able to score again near the end of the match, Allegra Poljak found herself in a favorable situation, but again a block followed at the last minute by one of Sweden’s players. There was no change in the result until the end, Sweden has a two-goal advantage before the rematch in its capital.
Source: hotsport.rs
