Slovakia's national soccer team will finally meet the Czech Republic on August 24 in part of the qualification round for World Cup '98 in France. The match had been scheduled for May 21, but was canceled by FIFA, (soccer's world governing body), because several Czech players had not been released by their club teams.
The newly reconstructed Slovan football stadium in Bratislava, which can seat 31,000 people, promises to be rocking. Emotions will be high, since Czechoslovakia split in 1993, with both countries hoping for bragging rights. Slovakia last played the Czech Republic in a friendly in 1995 when they tied 1:1. Game time is 20:15.
Slovak players to watch for are: Alexander Vencel - a goalkeeper currently playing for Strasbourg, a first division club in France; Dušan Tittel - a reliable defense player for Spartak Trnava in the top Slovak league; and Szilárd Németh - a virtuous offensive player on the premiere Czech team Sparta Praha.
Tickets are available at Slovakoturist, commissioned by the Slovak Football Federation, at Trnavská cesta 37 and Panská 13 or right before the football game at the stadium for 66 Sk or 99 Sk. Slovakoturist is open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 18 pm and from 9 am to 12 pm on Saturday.
Slovakia's fate for qualification in the World Cup will be decided this autumn. They play Yugoslavia on September 10, and two weeks later against Spain. Both games will be played at Slovan Stadium in Bratislava and will start at 8:15 pm. All games will be broadcast live on STV 2.
World Cup European Qualifiers Group 6 Standings:
winstieslossesgoalspoints
Spain62021:420
Yugoslavia61123:619
Slovakia40214:712
Faroe Islands2059:246
Czech Republic1137:44
Malta0082:310
