“On Wednesday we will have a hard, stubborn match, in which it is hardly worth waiting for a beautiful game. Our opponent, the Russian team is one of the group’s favorites,” Katanets lavished compliments. “By force, the Russians are definitely in the top three, along with England and Croatia "I think it will be harder for us against Russia than against England. In the game of Russians there is a place for fantasy, they are much more ingenious, the British, acting quite predictably. Srechko Katanets also noted the tactical training of the Russians, who, according to him, hardly give the opponent a ball and try to impose their game in midfield, trying to “put us to sleep, so that we can quickly create a moment with a quick pass”. “They are stronger individually, and we may have problems in a one-on-one game,” summed up Katanets, who said in one evening as many kind words about the team of Guus Hiddink as she had not heard in Russia in a month.
According to the Slovenian coach, the main danger in the guest team will come from Yegor Titov, - the Katanets called him "Hiddink's trump card". To journalists' questions about how to confront such an opponent, Katanets replied that you need to play very carefully in martial arts and not violate the rules again. "There is no other way, because in the individual plan, the opponent is definitely stronger than us."
And if a well-played defensive line of the Macedonians in four qualifying matches lost their integrity only once (the only goal scored in Skopje by the English striker Peter Crouch), the main headache for the Katanese is the question “How to score by yourself?”. The severe drought of the Macedonian national team at the Gradsky stadium in the capital has been going on for more than a year. The last time the red-yellow scored in their field the national team of Romania in the qualifying tournament of the 2006 World Cup. This match, held on March 30, 2005, the national team of Macedonia lost 1: 2, and the only goal scored by the forward of the Belgian “Lokeren” Goran Maznov. This was followed by a home loss to the Finns (0: 3) in the same selection. On March 1, 2006, the Macedonians in the debut match of Katanets as head coach could not beat the Bulgarians (0: 1). Macedonia continued the goalless series in the current qualifying cycle, losing, as already mentioned, in the native walls of England (0: 1). The last victory of the Macedonians in their field dates back to August 18, 2004 - then in the match that opened the qualifying round of the 2006 World Cup, the hosts outplayed the Armenian team - 3: 0.
This time it is hardly easier for the Macedonians to score, because they have to enter the field without a tandem of the leading forwards Pandev - Naumoski, who misses the match due to the disqualification incautiously received in the game with Andorra. “We will not change our playing style much, although Pandeva and Naumoski will be missed,” Katanets says. “I have at my disposal 18-20 players of approximately the same skill level, and those who will be given a chance to enter the field must prove "They deservedly put on a T-shirt of the national team. The principle and philosophy of our game remain the same - to attack the opponent’s goal with the participation of the maximum number of players, but also to defend their own with the same forces."
Of particular danger to the Russians will be the standards favored by the Macedonians, during which the defense players usually appear in the penalty box of the opponent. Acting in this manner, three points in Estonia were brought to the Katanets team by the team captain, defender Gotse Sedloski. In the last qualifying match, away against Andorra, his colleague Nikolche Nowevsky scored a goal. The defender of Mainz, whose services CSKA is allegedly interested in, said in an interview with the Macedonski Sport newspaper that Russia can be beaten only if he and his partners manage to demonstrate their best football. “We play at home and should take advantage of our field. When playing the“ standards ”I will definitely be at the opponent’s goal, because I know how to score in such situations,” said Nowewski, who was recognized as the best player in the sensational (0: 0) Manchester match Macedonians against England.
Answering a question about his possible departure to CSKA or some other club, Nowewski said that he plans to play for Mainz before the end of the season: “The club is in crisis, trying to maintain residence in the Bundesliga. The transition will take place, but not now. In the summer I I’ll become a free agent, and then it will be easier to negotiate with potential employers. " In addition to CSKA, the defender of “Mainz”, according to the Macedonian press, are interested in the English “Tottenham” and “Portsmouth”, as well as the Turkish “Fenerbahce”. “Personally, I would like to continue my career in England,” the Macedonian defender summed up this topic.
Boyan SHOCH