World Cup 2010: Radomir Ancic seeks positive response

Sunday, 13 June 2010

BBC---SPORT

Serbia coach Radomir Ancic is seeking a positive response from his players following their 1-0 loss to Ghana in their opening game of the World Cup.
Asamoah Gyan's late penalty won Sunday's Group D game in Pretoria for the African side after Serbia's Aleksandar Lukovic was sent off.
"For sure, this is a big blow for us. To start a World Cup with a defeat is a bad thing," said Ancic.
"We will use all our energy to be positive preparing for the next game."
Serbia's next match is against Germany on 18 June, and they know that a victory is vital if they are to stand any realistic chance of qualifying for the last 16.
We started with a defeat so now we must prepare in a different way when it comes to play Germany," added Ancic.
If they are to achieve the win they need, they will have to improve on Sunday's display, which saw them often over-run in midfield by a dominant Ghana.
The Africans produced enough chances to win by an even greater margin than that provided by Gyan's 85th-minute spot-kick, but they spurned them.
Zdravko Kuzmanovic's handball gave Gyan the opportunity from the spot, which he dispatched high into net, sparking wild celebrations amongst the Ghana team and supporters in Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Serbia's Nemanja Vidic, who plays club football for Manchester United, believes the wayward flight of the new World Cup ball may have been to blame for fellow defender Kuzmanovic's handball.
"I think that many players say this ball is not so easy to control," Vidic said. "I think more in the air than the feet.
"I think all teams have problems with the long balls and crosses. The ball moves a little bit different.
"But it was the same for them and for us."
606: DEBATE
As a Serb I don't think my optimism is totally unfounded, we have loads of talent but we just seem to freeze on the world stage
galapagos2008
Ten minutes prior to the goal, Serbia had been reduced to 10 men when defender Lukovic was shown his second yellow card of the match for tugging Gyan's arm.
"The fact that Lukovic got removed from the game was a tough measure, as well as the yellow card to [Nikola] Zigic. This of course had an influence on the final result," said Ancic.
"There was a lot of respect between the teams and one mistake [the penalty] made the difference, but before that we had several opportunities to score a goal and I think there was a lot of tension throughout the game.
"I think what made the difference was that our opponents were more lucky than us."
Serbia were not without their chances during the game, but their best opportunities were either wasted or, as with a stinging 12-yard strike from Milos Krasic just prior to Ghana's goal, repelled by keeper Richard Kingson.
Serbia now switch their focus to the Germany match, before a final group game with Australia on 23 June.
Australia face Germany in Group D's second match on Sunday.