The national handball team of Slovakia intensively prepare for two opening games of Group 1 of the first phase of the World Championship 2017 Qualification. On Wednesday 4 November
Slovakia play in Tuzla in Bosnia Herzegovina at 20:15 CET. On Saturday they host Kosovo in Hlohovec at 18:00 CET.
The coach of the Slovak national team Martin Liptak will have to do without two back players in the beginning of qualification: “Pavol Polakovic was examined by our doctors. He has got a severe Achilles tendon inflammation and I had to replace him by Vladimir Guzy. Dominik Krok came to the national team with a torn muscle in his shoulder, so he also will not be available in these two qualifiers. Some players have minor health problems. The players of Tatran Presov suffer from fatigue after their demanding schedule in October.”
The Slovak national team coach Martin Liptak knows that the first qualifying game in Bosnia Herzegovina will be a key match in Group 1: “It is the most important game of the entire qualification. I am convinced that we will fight Bosnia to qualify. I do not say it, because I would like to underestimate the qualities of Lithuania and Kosovo. From the point of view of the roster depth and experiences it is clear that Bosnians will be our biggest rivals. They have a lot of quality players who play all around Europe. In Bosnia we want to win. We will do everything we can to start the qualification for the World Championship 2017 successfully.”
One of the most experienced players of the Slovak national team is an elite scorer, left wing of Tatran Presov Radoslav Antl, for whom it is still big honour and motivation to represent Slovakia at international level: “I am a type of the player who wants to show his best if he plays for the national team. In this qualification I believe we have the chance to qualify. Our biggest rival in qualifying Group 1 will be Bosnia. We know them very well. We play regular games vs Borac Banja Luka on SEHA League. However, majority of Bosnians play in foreign leagues and they have really good selection. The first game in Bosnia on Wednesday can be the decisive match of qualification.”
Radovan Pekar, a universal back of Tatran Presov, has belonged to the pillars of Slovak defence for many years: “We are starting a new qualification. I realise it will be the last opportunity for me to get to such a significant event as the World Championship. We know the power of our competitors quite well, mainly the power of Bosnia. We have to be on the same wavelength, prepare for our rivals thoroughly and win both games.”
The third experienced player of the Slovak champions Tatran Presov in the Slovak national team is the pivot Andrej Petro who is looking forward to the qualifiers: “A good group of players comes together once again after longer time. Bosnia are a very strong rivals. We know several players from SEHA League. Some Bosnians play in Poland, Spain or Germany. We have to cope with that in the best way and reach the best possible result. The way to qualify certainly leads through Bosnian team.”
The coach of the Slovak national team Martin Liptak will also give opportunities to young talented players in the new qualification. His best young acquisition is a universal back of Tatran Presov Lukas Urban, who believes in the qualities of the Slovak national team: “We definitely want to win Group 1 and qualify further. Bosnia will probably be the toughest rival. They will fight for the first place with us. We cannot underestimate Kosovo. There is not a lot of time to prepare. But I believe that all players will be in a good form and we will manage to play quality and successful games.”
Nomination of the Slovak national handball team for World Championship 2017 qualifiers vs Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo:
Goalkeepers: Richard Stochl (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Teodor Paul (Balmazujvarosi KK), Milos Putera (SC DHfK Leipzig)
Pivots: Andrej Petro (Tatran Presov), Peter Dudas (HC Sporta Hlohovec), Martin Slaninka (TSG Ludwigshafen-Friesenheim), Martin Mazak (Grundfos Tatabanya KC)
Wingers: Radoslav Antl (Tatran Presov), Tomas Urban (ThSV Eisenach), Miroslav Volentics (TuS Ferndorf)
Backs: Radovan Pekar, Lukas Urban (both Tatran Presov), Lubomir Duris, Vladimir Guzy (both HC Sporta Hlohovec), Martin Stranovsky (HC Erlangen), Csaba Szucs (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Gabriel Vadkerti (Csurgoi KK)
http://www.handball-world.com/o.red.c/news-2-1-25-75325.html
FOTO: SITA newswire
Prešov