FRANCE 98 – Croatia – A. Kozniku: “We have to win this match”

Croatia – A. Kozniku: “We have to win this match”

19.06.98 18h09 CET

Comments from NANTES

Aljosa ASANOVIC (7):

“I’m very happy to return to France, a country I have fond memories of. However, I have never won in La Beaujoire stadium so I hope this will be a first for me. This match against JAPAN is very important for CROATIA in that a win would send us straight into the second round. But that won’t be easy: only a year ago the Japanese beat us 4-3. They were euphoric that day. I’m particularly afraid of their midfielder Hidetoshi NAKATA (8). I want to play really well in this World Cup before I go to the Greek club Panathinaikos, who I’ve just signed with.”

Krunoslav JURCIC (21):

“This meeting against JAPAN will be decisive because one more victory will open the doors for us to enter the second round. We’re not afraid of anyone, but we respect everyone. The Japanese dominated us a year ago, winning 4-3, and that is already a good reason to respect them.”

Adrian KOZNIKU (16):

“We have to win this match. The absence of BOBAN (10) could go against us, and our coach must at all costs develop a strategy to make up for him. All the teams In this World Cup play well – that considered, the speed of JAPAN’s players could pose some problems for us. Our players get on very well together, which is important if we are to win this crucial match.”

Goran VLAOVIC (19):

“It’s clear that after this round the teams will be harder to beat. We have to win if we’re to make the road ahead of us easier. When playing ARGENTINA or JAPAN it’s very difficult to circulate the ball, and we need to keep alert because they play very fast attacks along the sides. We are stronger technically, but JAPAN could surprise.”

Robert PROSINECKI (8):

“If we beat JAPAN we’ll be more relaxed when we face ARGENTINA. We watched JAPAN’s first match and we know that this confrontation will be difficult because they’re playing to qualify for the second round. Despite CROATIA’s first match in the World Cup, we have experience on our side and we’ve been playing together for seven years.”