Slovakia World Cup Tickets: 2010

Monday, June 28, 2010

Slovakia seek to slay another giant

Slovakia hope to produce a repeat performance of their shock group victory over Italy when they clash with the Netherlands in a FIFA World Cup™ Round of 16 match on Monday.

The unfancied Slovaks stunned the defending champions 3-2 to finish as group runners-up and secure a second-round showdown with the Dutch, finalists in 1974 and 1978. Slovak coach Vladimir Weiss said the match against the Dutch was a "career-topping game for both me as coach and all the players".

"What we've learnt since we started the World Cup is that everything's possible, but that's an old cliche," said Weiss, who played for Czechoslovakia in the 1990 FIFA World Cup and went on to add 12 Slovak caps to his 19 Czechoslovakian appearances.

"What we have shown is that we can play football against very strong teams. Of course we came here to fight for something sensational for us. We hope it'll be a beautiful game for us tomorrow. If we want to play well against the Netherlands, we'll have to repeat our performance against Italy, for whom we have big respect."

Weiss, who hinted he might recall his son Vladimir Jr to the starting line-up, said that the Dutch would pose very different problems compared to the Italians, who played a relatively open game in search of goals.

What we have shown is that we can play football against very strong teams.Vladimir Weiss, Slovakia coach

"The Netherlands play differently from Italy, with a game based on multiple passes and creating surprises, that's their quality," Weiss said, highlighting their star winger Arjen Robben as a dangerman even though he has played just 20 minutes during this World Cup as he recovers from a hamstring injury. "They play differently with or without Robben, who's a top, world-class player -- they have five or six of them. But we also have some top players who managed to beat Italy."

Weiss refused to call his team's run a "miracle". "I don't see it as a miracle. We didn't start well against New Zealand but the players showed a good mentality to drag it back. The match against Paraguay just wasn't our game," he said of the opening group matches, drawn 1-1 and lost 2-0 respectively.

"In the Italy game, we and they were under a lot of pressure because just one team was going to be happy at the end. I expect a similar atmosphere tomorrow in what is a decisive match. Everything's possible and we'll have to show something more of a performance."

After failing to find the net in nine qualifying games, Slovak striker Robert Vittek now finds himself among the big boys of the world's goal scorers. "I'm very happy to be among the top scorers especially after all the criticism I got, but I'm not thinking too much about it," said Vittek, who plays for Turkish club Ankaragucu.

"It's a dream to be playing at the World Cup, in a stadium like the one in Durban against opponents like the Netherlands. For us it is a fantastic, new experience. We're not thinking about the result, we're just focusing on the match, as we did against Italy."

But he added: "The Dutch are very different from Italy, but we're looking forward to the game. There's a lot more pressure on the Dutch. They have to win while we just turn up and nothing's expected of us."

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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Vittek: Win has moved the goalposts

Robert Vittek believes Slovakia's shock FIFA World Cup™ win over Italy has "moved the limits" of what the country can achieve in the game. A goal in each half from Vittek put the eastern European side in charge at Ellis Park and Kamil Kopunek's third finally proved decisive in fending off a late Italian fightback as Vladimir Weiss' side booked a place in the last 16 on their World Cup debut.

They came into the match as the outsiders in Group F but now have a knockout match against the Netherlands to look forward to in Durban on Monday. Vittek, who plays his club football in Turkey with Ankaragucu, said: "This is a huge success, we have really moved the limits of Slovak football somewhere else.

"We are so extremely happy that we showed everybody that we were capable of achieving this. In our first two matches we were not lucky but against Italy we were the better side and that's why we are moving on," he continued. "I wouldn't say it was a domination, but we were better, we played with our heart and that is what decided the match."

"This is a huge success, we have really moved the limits of Slovak football somewhere else."Robert Vittek, Slovakia forward

The striker also believes his side will play with total freedom against their Dutch opponents in the last 16. "We have nothing to lose," he added. "We came here as outsiders, as newcomers, and we wanted to surprise. We have already surprised once and we hope we can do the same again against Holland, but they are one of the favourites."

In theory, Slovakia can only get better ahead of the UEFA European Championships of 2012 and the FIFA World Cup in 2014, with Weiss' squad containing 10 players aged 25 or under. The Slovakia coach was full of praise for his young side, led by Napoli star Marek Hamsik, following their memorable win: "Hamsik was under pressure and he showed his high quality, he was a good captain. But everybody was excellent, we played like a team, there was good quality. This experience is good for the future."

Friday, June 25, 2010

Weiss hails memorable moment

Slovakia coach Vladimir Weiss described his team's 3-2 victory over Italy as the second-best day of his life following the birth of his son, Vladimir junior.

The eastern Europeans, making their debut in the finals, upset the odds to eliminate the world champions, whose coach Marcello Lippi accepted full responsibility for the Italian defeat at Ellis Park. Robert Vittek's brace set them on the way and although Antonio Di Natale gave Italy hope, a disallowed goal by Fabio Quagliarella proved decisive as Kamil Kopunek made it 3-1. A brilliant chip from Quagliarella in injury time proved to be mere consolation for the Azzurri.

Weiss and co now take on Holland in the last 16 and the coach said: "It was a fantastic day for us. We had good preparation for the match with the staff and the players, and, after the birth of my son, it's the second-best day of my life.

"I want to say thanks to the people of Slovakia who followed us to South Africa. I am very proud of my team, they played a very high level for 80 minutes. There was big pressure in the last 10 minutes but we played a fantastic game and the better team won."

Italy coach Lippi would no doubt go along with Weiss' view as his final game came earlier than expected. He had always intended to step down after the finals, and will now be succeeded by former Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli. Lippi has no doubt that the quality is there for Italy to succeed and that it was his motivational skills which were lacking.

"I still believe in (the team) very strongly, it was not a matter of overestimating them," he said.

"You can't believe that this Italian team is the team you saw out there, I believe this group could have done better than it did. Evidently I have failed to do what was necessary. It's always the head, the leader, who takes responsibility. I played an important part in the good results we achieved in the past, likewise right now I was not able to create the psychological conditions to keep the team going."

Asked how difficult it would be for Italy to recover from this exit, Lippi added: "I don't know how difficult it is going to be, I wish the new coach all the best. As far as the rest is concerned, they are important professionals of a certain standard we are talking about. In the past I was able to create the right dynamics, the right mix. I failed to do that this time around and I deeply regret that."

Monday, June 21, 2010

Paraguay too strong for Slovakia

Paraguay claimed their first 2010 FIFA World Cup™ victory by beating Slovakia 2-0 on Sunday in Mangaung/Bloemfontein. Top of the Group F table with four points – at least until Italy take on New Zealand later in the day – the Paraguayans got a goal in each half at the Free State Stadium through Enrique Vera and Cristian Riveros.

The South Americans controlled the contest right from the start, and they might have opened their account in the early going when Roque Santa Cruz's shot took a tricky deflection towards goal but Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha was up to the task, diving well to save in the top-right corner. Riveros and Lucas Barrios then had good opportunities to confirm Paraguay's dominance. After 19 minutes Riveros had time and space for a shot from 20 yards out but his effort went straight at the keeper. Four minutes later Barrios blasted over after some fancy combination play with Vera.

Paraguay's breakthrough came after 27 minutes following a Slovakian give-away in defence. Paulo Da Silva strode forward menacingly and his pass split the defence to find Vera. With two defenders around him, the Ecuador-based midfielder finished coolly with the outside of his right boot around the despairing goalkeeper. At the other end, Slovakia's only real chance of note fell to Kornel Salata, who could not keep his free header down from a corner. Indeed Santa Cruz might have doubled the lead except for a fine save with his feet by Mucha in the 39th minute.

With only one attempt on goal in the first half, Vladimir Weiss's side came out more aggressively in the second period, but Paraguay's organised back line contained them. The Europeans very rarely even threatened to equalise, and Vera should have claimed a second goal when Santa Cruz picked him out all alone in the area in the 72nd minute, but his header bounded wide to the goalkeeper's right.

Instead it fell to Riveros to settle the encounter four minutes from time with a curling left-foot shot from the edge of the area. Slovakia will now hope to resurrect their South Africa 2010 campaign against Italy at Johannesburg's Ellis Park on Thursday, while Gerardo Martino's Paraguay take on New Zealand at the same time in Polokwane.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

All Whites snatch last-gasp point

A last-gasp Winston Reid header snatched New Zealand an improbable draw against a dominant Slovakia side in their Group F opener in Rustenburg. Robert Vittek had put the Europeans in front, also with his head, in the 50th minute but the All Whites hit back for a result that leaves the section's four sides level on one point – and goal difference – after Italy and Paraguay also drew 1-1 yesterday.

New Zealand defied their underdogs' status in the opening five minutes. First Chris Killen broke free from his marker just inside the Slovakia half, charged forward and unleashed a shot that flew over. Then the same player headed wide from an inviting Leo Bertos cross. That seemed to awaken the Europeans. Vladimir Weiss, son of the Slovakia coach, darted down the right flank before producing a low cross that Mark Paston did well to hold, before Robert Vittek cut inside before blazing a shot high and wide.
The flair of Weiss was thrilling the crowd and on 22 minutes, the Slovakia No7 found space down the left and threaded the ball through to Marek Hamsik, who curled it wide from inside the area. Weiss then craftily laid on a chance for Stanislav Sestak, who fired into the side-netting. Minutes later the No9 missed another chance, this time from a close-range header following a corner. With ten minutes of the half remaining, Vittek cut inside from the right and fired a fierce 20-yard shot wide.

New Zealand, who had been spectators for a period, then went close. Following a neat passing move, Smeltz played a give-and-go with Rory Fallon before shooting into the side-netting from a difficult angle. It proved a brief respite, as the Slovaks dominated possession for the remainder of the half, albeit without creating any meaningful opportunities. They did just that five minutes after the restart, though, and this time they took full advantage. Sestak crossed from the right, and Vittek powered his header into the bottom corner. It was just reward for Slovakia's relentless assault on the Kiwis' goal.

Rather than sit back, the team in blue went in search of a second goal. After 58 minutes Sestak held the ball up well and touched it into the path of Hamsik, who failed to keep his shot down from the edge of the area. Slovakia almost doubled their lead soon after. Zdenko Strba and Sestak exchanged passes, before the latter set up Vittek. However, Paston rushed from his line to make a smart block from the 28-year-old forward.

It took an alert Tony Lochhead to deny Vittek a clear sight on goal with 15 minutes remaining, before Smeltz headed wide from a rare New Zealand attack with just minutes remaining. It appeared then that their last chance had gone, but deep into injury time Smeltz crossed for Reid to steal in and nod home a dramatic equaliser.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Slovakia : Stadium

Tehelné pole is most popular name for a football stadium in Bratislava. Named after the surrounding neighbourhood in Bratislava. The stadium is the home field for Slovan and Slovakia national football team. Capacity of the stadium is 30,085 spectators. The construction of the stadium was begun in 1939 and was finished in 1944 however the stadium was opened already in September 1940. The first official match was played on 27 October 1940 when Slovan hosted Hertha. The match ended 2-2. The stadium was also the home field for Czechoslovakia national football team in common era and it was second biggest stadium in Czechoslovakia after the Strahov. In 2005-06 season Artmedia used this stadium for a contests in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup. The Fighting Jondas also use Stadium Pod Dubňom in Žilina and Stadium of Anton Malatinský in Trnava.

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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Slovakia National Football Team

The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in international football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association. After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the Slovak Football Association was founded in 1993, and has been affiliated to both FIFA and UEFA since the same year. They will be participants at the 2010 World Cup for the first time since independence.

The first official match of the first Slovak Republic (1939–1945) was played in Bratislava against Germany on 27 August 1939, and ended in a 2-0 victory for Slovakia. After the Second World War, the national football team was subsumed into the team of Czechoslovakia, and for over fifty years Slovakia played no matches as an independent country. During this period they contributed several key players to the Czechoslovak team, including the majority of the team that won the 1976 European Championships.

Slovakia's first official international after regaining independence was a 1-0 victory in Dubai over the United Arab Emirates on 2 February 1994. Their match back on Slovakian soil was the 4-1 defeat against Croatia in Bratislava on 20 April 1994. Slovakia suffered their biggest defeat since independence (6-0) on 22 June 1995, in Mendoza, against Argentina. Their biggest wins (7-0) have come against Liechtenstein in 2004 and San Marino in 2007.

Slovakia played in a major championship as an independent team for the first time in Euro '96 qualifying, but finished in third place in their qualifying group, behind Romania and France, having recorded wins against Poland, Israel and Azerbaijan, twice. In the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, Slovakia finished fourth in their six-team group with five wins, one draw and four defeats.

Slovakia will participate in the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history as an independent nation after finishing in first place in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 3 ahead of Slovenia, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, and Poland. On 14 October 2009, they clinched qualification with a 1-0 away win against Poland.

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Slovakia World Cup Tickets