Slovenia survives Angers, the European Championship is an increasingly realistic goal! In the draw in France, Martin Turk shone, making as many as 11 saves
Photo: Vid Ponikvar / Sportida
The Slovenian U21 national team played their sixth qualifying match for the next European Championship, which will be hosted by Slovakia next year, in Angers and remains in the running for a place in the finals! Coach Milenko Aćimović—who was serving a suspension and watching from the stands—and his players maintained their unbeaten streak for the fifth consecutive match. Given that this was an away game in France, earning a point is even more valuable.
Slovenia drew 1-1 with France, keeping their position at the top of Group H. They have a two-point lead over Austria and a three-point advantage over France, who have one game in hand. Slovenia’s next match will be on Tuesday, when they face Cyprus in Murska Sobota, the weakest team in Group H. The final match of the group stage will be an away game against Austria.
France, which recently saw Thierry Henry depart and Gerald Baticle take over, was predictably superior to Slovenia in many respects. The French dominated possession, and the shot count ended at 30-11 in favor of the hosts! However, it was Slovenia’s heart, fighting spirit, and dedication that stood out, with Martin Turk playing a stellar role. The young Slovenian goalkeeper from Primorska kept the French at bay with an impressive 11 saves!
Slovenia took the lead in the 37th minute after a rare defensive error by the French. Quentin Merlin of Marseille mistakenly passed the ball into his own penalty area. Tio Cipot seized the opportunity, shot immediately, and scored. Although French goalkeeper Guillaume Restes touched the ball, he couldn’t prevent the goal. Cipot celebrated his fifth goal in the qualifiers.
After Slovenia’s goal, the French stars threw everything into attack. Desire Doue, a painful thorn in Slovenia’s side, equalized in the second half with a well-placed shot after some dazzling dribbling. Despite the numerous French attempts before and after the goal, Martin Turk remained a key figure and was undoubtedly one of the heroes of Slovenia’s otherwise extremely competitive performance.
Even though Slovenia was under pressure towards the end of the match, they had two excellent chances for a second goal. Both opportunities came from the young debutant Dino Kojić, who showcased his undeniable talent but was unlucky. Overall, Slovenia delivered an excellent performance, survived the toughest away game in the group, and remains on a promising path toward a historic success. It’s worth noting that the U21 team has never qualified for a major tournament through the qualifiers.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
National Team
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