Solid defence, patience in attack the keys for Slovenia

Solid defence, patience in attack the keys for Slovenia

Three points from two matches and second place in Group 6 - that is the current situation for Slovenia ahead of their two crucial qualification matches against Iceland in the quest for a spot at the EHF EURO 2014 in Denmark.

The first match in this double header will take place in Maribor on Wednesday, 3 April.

Coach Boris Denič and his men have already assembled in Maribor and spirits are high before facing their arguably strongest opposition in the group.

"I am always looking forward to these reunions with the team. The atmosphere in our camp is excellent," said Denič.

"We'll go full throttle when everybody arrives, but we are working hard regardless.

"The matches in this period carry more weight and a lot of our players have a lot of responsibility in their respective clubs."

The season has taken its toll on some of the players, with Gorenje's line players Matej Gaber and Peter Pucelj having the most troubles injurywise, their fate being in the hands of the medical team. 

In particular, this poses a problem for the Slovenian defence, but Vive Targi Kielce's star playmaker Uroš Zorman, the most experienced individual in the squad with 181 caps, makes it perfectly clear what the Slovenian objective is.

"We have to show them who's the boss on our home court.

"We are no. 4 in the world and it is time we start conducting ourselves accordingly. We have to regard ourselves as favourites in this match."

"Iceland has a very high rating in European handball and I expect a show of quality from both sides. However, I believe that we will come out on top in front of our fans, who will hopefully pack the place. The national team deserves it," added coach Denič.

During his tenure as a national team coach Slovenia has met Iceland twice.

They lost 26:29 in a friendy in January 2012 and won 34:32 later that month in the EHF EURO 2012 Group Phase.

Overall both sides have met 15 times, with Slovenia having 7 and Iceland 5 wins in their respective accounts. 

In Zorman's opinion the road to success starts in the defence.

"We are a bit handicapped in that department, but our goalkeepers are in teriffic form. We have to start to build our momentum there.

"With a solid defence come the easy goals. With patience in attack we can come out on top.

"We will give everything we have in the first encounter and we just have to win. It is as simple as that."

Slovenia's squad for the EHF EURO 2014 qualifiers vs Iceland

Goalkeepers: Primož Prošt (Frisch auf Göppingen/GER), Matevž Skok (Celje Pivovarna Laško), Gorazd Škof (Cimos Koper).

Wingers: Jure Dobelšek (Cimos Koper), Dragan Gajič (Montpellier/FRA), Vid Kavtičnik (Montpellier/FRA), Gašper Marguč (Celje Pivovarna Laško), Luka Žvižej ( Celje Pivovarna Laško).

Backcourt: Marko Bezjak (Gorenje), Nenad Bilbija (Minden/GER), Dean Bombač (Cimos Koper), Jure Dolenec (Gorenje), Borut Mačkovšek (Celje Pivovarna Laško), David Miklavčič (Gorenje), sebastian Slube (Celje Pivovarna Laško), David Špiler (Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb/CRO), Uroš Zorman (Vive Targi Kielce/POL). 

Line players: Matej Gaber (Gorenje), Peter Pucelj (Gorenje), Miha Žvižej (Fenix Toulouse/FRA).