England aims to qualify in style in Montenegro

Posted Thursday, October 06, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

England coach Fabio Capello is promising a win-only mindset against Montenegro on Friday, despite needing a point to qualify for the European Championship.

Montenegro can overtake England at the top of Group G if it wins on Friday and at Switzerland on Tuesday.

“We need to go to win this game—not to play for a draw,” Capello said. “If you play for the draw, it’s a big mistake because you are not focused on the game … When you defend the result, you can make mistakes.”

England failed to qualify for the last European Championship four years ago when it lost 3-2 to Croatia at Wembley in its final game.

Capello’s team has won all its three away matches so far in qualifying for Euro 2012, and the coach has stuck to his policy of favoring younger players, with Manchester United pair Danny Welbeck and Phil Jones included for the Montenegro trip alongside in-form Tottenham fullback Kyle Walker.

Montenegro only started playing football as an independent nation in 2007, but have since risen the world rankings to an enviable position for a country of 625,000 people, reaching 16th place last year.

Midfielder Marko Cetkovic described Friday’s game as the most important in the country’s brief international football history.

“England is surely the best team in the group. But we also have our qualities. We have two of three players who can score in every game,” the Poland-based player said.

“I think it will be very difficult for England to get the three points— very difficult. England (plays well away) but they have never played here. The crowd will be very important for us.”

Montenegro surprisingly sacked coach Zlatko Kranjcar following a loss to Wales and brought in Branko Brnovic to replace him.

The new coach has injury problems, with Marko Basa and Stevan Jovetic doubtful, and his team selection could be influenced by eight players facing suspensions if they are booked against England.

Brnovic said he would rest Basa, along with regular starters Nikola Drincic and Milan Jovanovic, to guarantee him more options against Switzerland, but remained defiant over Friday’s game.

“I hate having to rest players, but I have no choice. With a full squad, we are able to beat England, but even with three players out we can still surprise them,” he said. “We fear no one. We have a fighting spirit in our genes, but I also know the quality of our players.”

Brnovic indicated he would field a defensive line up Friday, relying heavily on Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic.

“England has four world-class goal scorers, and (Wayne) Rooney is one of the best players around,” Brnovic said. “But their defense also has Mirko to worry about.”

Montenegro held England to a 0-0 draw at Wembley a year ago, and may hope the visitors can be lulled into underestimating them again.

South Korea-based striker Dejan Damjanovic said he’s hoping the crowd at Podgorica’s 12,000-seat City Stadium, currently being renovated, could also put the visitors off their game.

“There’s no track and the crowd is very close to the pitch,” he said. “(Last year) England thought the game would be easy, and they played pretty badly, to be honest, and we had an unbelievable game.

“This time, England will take us totally seriously.”