JOHANNESBURG // Teams that cope in high-pressure situations tend to emerge victorious on the given day. And Radomir Antic, the head coach of Serbia, is fully confident that his side of "champions" will remain unfazed today when they begin their World Cup campaign against Ghana, the African giants. Today's clash in Pretoria will be Serbia's first World Cup outing as an independent nation and Antic is aware that such an historical occasion puts his players under intense mental strain. But he is adamant his squad is ready.
Players such as Nemanja Vidic, the Manchester United defender, and Dejan Stankovic, of Inter Milan, have both won the Champions League, while Branislav Ivanovic, the full-back, lifted the English Premier League trophy with Chelsea last season. "The beginning of the World Cup is when we think about many things - we fight against Ghana but also ourselves," said Antic. "We have great ambitions and the first game is a game with huge psychological pressure, as always. We are here for the first time in the World Cup as an independent nation, [but] this makes us even more motivated and stronger.
"We are a team comprised of champions, players who know how to play under great pressure. Ever since I became coach, each year our players have managed to win 10 trophies, which means that my players know how to play well when they have to." Unlike opponents Ghana - who have lost Michael Essien, their influential captain, to injury - Antic has a full squad at his disposal and Stankovic, his captain, says Serbia are ready to make history.
"It's going to be a historic match for Serb football," said Stankovic, who will become the first player to represent three different nations at the World Cup having played for Yugoslavia in 1998 and Serbia and Montenegro in 2006. "We will be very emotional." Milovan Rajevac is the third Serb to coach Ghana in eight years and understands the importance of the occasion. But the 56-year-old says that his loyalty is firmly with the Africans and he is in no mood for sentiment.
"There are some suggestions that I may not be fully committed to beating Serbia. That is complete nonsense," Rajevac said. "I can understand the passion, but they should think again because I am not here to give away matches." Sulley Muntari, the Ghanaian midfielder who is Stankovic's teammate at Inter, has shaken off a thigh injury and is expected to start today's match at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, while Stephen Appiah will likely captain the side in the absence of Essien. "Everyone is talking about Germany and Australia," said Appiah in reference to the two other teams which comprise Group D. "But I'm scared of Serbia because they are aggressive and technically good." @Email:gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
