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Olympic Games Qualification:Slovakia loses to Macedonia

The first big upset of the LEN Olympic Games Qualification Tournament in Bratislava, Slovakia was caused by Macedonia. The team from the former Yugoslav republic with a majority of nationalised Serbian players in the line-up showed a clever performance against home team Slovakia and gained a 10-8 (3-3, 2-0, 1-3, 4-2). Macedonia is staying in the race for the semi-finals and the 2008 Olympic Games, while the home team is facing the knock-out after only two game Like the day before Macedonia achieved a 3-3 tie until the end of the first period, but in contrast to the Romania game head coach Aleksandar Krstonosic´s players won the second period this time, bringing the score to 5-3. The Slovaks levelled the exciting match after the changing of sides, so that the score was tied before the last swim-off, 6-6. Slovakia was close to a comeback after almost three periods of Macedonian leads, but the players from the former Yugoslav republic were able to score the first two goals of the final period to bring the score to 8-6. Slovakia could not score for more than six minutes, so that Macedonia saved a narrow but precious lead in a real nailbiter. So the home team was facing a big disappointment and has almost missed the semi-finals after two losses in only two games. Furthemore it is already very difficult to finish top six in the final ranking of the tournament and to qualify for the FINA Olympic Games Qualification Tournament to be held in March 2008 in Oradea, Romania. Seven years after ago, the Slovaks had still qualified for the Olympic Games, now even the qualification for the FINA Olympic Games Qualification Tournament is in grave danger.

 

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