Yugoslavs torn over comeback

Jugovic (left) tussles with Zahovic of Slovenia

Yugoslavia's players have rounded on their coach after staging what captain Dragan Stojkovic calls the "comeback from hell" against Slovenia.

But coach Vujadin Boskov in turn criticised his team for not taking the Slovenian threat seriously in Tuesday's thrilling 3-3 draw.

Stojkovic, who played a major role in the comeback from 3-0 down, said: "The beginning of the match was a catastrophe."

If we play like this against Norway in our next game, they are going to score seven.

Savo Milosevic

Fellow midfielder Vladimi Jugovic said: "Things are very simple - Boskov lost against his pupil Katanec."

Slovenian coach Srecko Katanec was coached by Boskov while he played for Sampdoria in Italy in the late 1980s and early '90s.

Outclassed

"For an hour, the Slovenes totally outclassed us," said Jugovic. "We looked like little children playing ball."

Two-goal hero Savo Milosevic said: "If we play like this against Norway in our next game, they are going to score seven.

The Real Zaragoza and former Aston Villa forward added: "We have to sit down, talk to our coach and correct many things or we are out of the championship."

Unrepentant

But coach Boskov was unrepetentant, saying: "We came into this match over-confident. We lacked ambition, aggression and the desire to win.

Boskov: taught a lesson

"The players underestimated the Slovenes - they thought the victory would come from heaven."

Boskov will be under pressure to include Milosevic from the start against the Norwegians and may also decide to include Stojkovic.

He also must address the full-back positions where Yugoslavia were ripped apart by Slovenia.

Major shipwreck

The Yugoslav media hailed the national team's heroic comeback - but also blasted them for a "disgraceful" performance in the first 60 minutes.

"They survived a major shipwreck," said Belgrade daily newspaper Glas Javnosti. "Trailing 3-0 and down to 10 men, they looked like the Titanic when it hit the fatal iceberg.

Sportski Zurnal said Katanec "completely outwitted his teacher and made his star-studded team look ridiculous for a whole hour".

"Boskov's blunders could have cost us dearly and he will have to think hard as Norway will be a mountain to climb,"

The daily Blic said team spirit had emerged only after "a catastrophe looked imminent", adding "the comeback should deceive no-one as the overall performance is a disgrace to Yugoslav football."