Susic buoyed by brave Bosnia performance
Reuters - Wednesday 12 October 2011, 10:13
Bosnia are confident of
qualifying for Euro 2012 through the play-offs after holding
France to a 1-1 draw in Paris in their final qualifying round
game, coach Safet Susic said.
Needing a win to leapfrog the French in Group D and reach
their first major tournament as an independent nation, the
Bosnians dominated for long spells and led through a superb Edin
Dzeko goal before a late Samir Nasri penalty sent the French
through.
"This is not the end, we have shown in Paris that we can
stand our ground against anyone and I am confident we will
qualify through the play-offs," Susic told Bosnian media after
Tuesday's game at the Stade de France.
"This is not the same team that lost the 2010 World Cup
play-off to Portugal two years ago, these lads are now playing
with a lot more confidence and are not afraid to take the game
to Europe's best teams.
"It's a pity we didn't beat France because in the first half
we outplayed them like no one has on their own turf.
"We ran out of steam in the second and I had to substitute
two players because they couldn't carry on."
Former Yugoslavia and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Susic,
who played in the 1982 and 1990 World Cup tournaments, was
furious with the penalty given to France after Nasri went down
under a clumsy challenge from Emir Spahic.
"I was stunned when the referee awarded the spot-kick
because even if it was a foul, it was outside the penalty area
and it didn't even look like a foul," he said.
"It was a controversial penalty to say the least."
Bosnia will be unseeded in Thursday's draw in Krakow for the
two-legged play-offs.