Narrow victory at the Stožice: Dream return of Josip Iličić, Matjaž Kek rested key players and gave others a chance
Photo: Nik Moder / Sportida
And it’s behind us! The first of two dress rehearsals for the upcoming European Championship. The Slovenian national team defeated the Armenian national team with a minimal difference in the beautifully packed Stožice Stadium. Considering that the match was played at the beginning of the workweek, it’s important to note that Matjaž Kek rested some of his top players, especially captain Jan Oblak and Benjamin Šeško. However, the match itself provided many answers before the final selection of the players who will compete at Euro.
Our boys secured the advantage just eleven minutes into the first half when Erik Janža first sent a cross into the Armenian penalty area, and the visiting defense, with an awkward intervention, presented an opportunity to Jan Mlakar, who simply couldn’t miss.
Another noteworthy Slovenian chance came just before the end of the first half. First, after a run on the right side, Tomi Horvat attempted a shot, but the rebound fell to Žan Vipotnik in the immediate vicinity, yet the visiting goalkeeper, Ognjen Čančarević, stopped the shot on both occasions.
In the second half, the Armenians struck, precisely in the 56th minute. First, Eduard Spertsyan executed a corner kick from the right side, and then his cross was headed in by central defender Varazdat Haroyan to level the score. Moments later, stepping onto the field in the national team jersey for the first time since November 14, 2021, Josip Iličić needed only a few minutes to silence all critics and confirm coach Kek’s trust. It was the 63rd minute when Petar Stojanović delivered the ball into space for Iličić, and the beloved Jojo outsmarted the Armenian defense in just two moves, securing a continuation of the positive streak before the European Championship.
The match also provided another positive news, as in the 71st minute, after several weeks of absence due to injury, Sandi Lovrić returned to the field, who could be crucial in Germany.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
Euro2024
National Team
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