EAGLES IN JAPAN | DRAW WITH JAMAICA, HOST TEAM BETTER AND WELL COORDINATED
Mixed national team of Serbia, with many players debuting in the national selection, played 1:1 with Jamaica (0:1), and was defeated in a Kirin Cup match by the host team 0:1 (0:0).
After a minimum defeat from the team of Japan in the Kirin Cup in Kobe, head-coach Dragan Stojković gave a statement for the FA of Serbia website, saying he saw everything what had been known even before the match.
“Japan is a much better and faster team, technically a way more dominating than this selection of our team and their victory is well deserved. And if you ask me as a coach if I have expected that, yes, that is exactly what I have expected. I knew it would be a quite difficult and demanding match for our players. Japanese are experienced and well played, that can be seen at the pitch. Even if we had won, I would have said the same; this defeat does not change anything in our future plans.”
Head-coach Stojković summarized two matches played in the Land of the Rising Sun:
“I have my own opinion about friendly matches. I am not interested in them looking for the aspect of a result and everybody knows that. This is something we had to do, in the conditions that were not in our favour. You know very well we were locked in the hotel for 10 days, without going outside. I cannot ask more from these boys and nothing more should be expected. The most important was they gave their best. I would like to thank them for accepting the summons and went to Japan, for sacrificing their holidays after a difficult season. That is very commendable. I have neither asked for something special, nor have I expected something special. We saw a lot during practice and at the matches; those were two good tests, anyway, but what I am interested in and what I think about is September the 4th.”
