
Susic expects France to bounce back
Bosnia-Herzegovina are out to heap more misery on France in tomorrow night's Group D Euro 2012 qualifier in Sarajevo.
Les Bleus suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against Belarus at the Stade de France on Friday, as Laurent Blanc's squad failed to lift the gloom following their farcical World Cup campaign.
Loic Remy, Guillaume Hoarau and Everton striker Louis Saha have all been ruled out, but Karim Benzema is fit following an ankle injury.
Bosnia-Herzegovina opened their Euro 2012 campaign with a 3-0 win over Luxembourg.
Coach Safet Susic almost took his side to the World Cup, losing out to Portugal in a play-off, and intends to pull off a shock tomorrow.
"France are coming to us as wounded lions. My players will also try to cause a surprise," he declared.
Striker Edin Dzeko, though, insists France are still the favourites to finish top of the group.
"We are aiming for second place. We absolutely want to participate in the next European Championship," said the Wolfsburg striker.
"France now have a new coach who can create a new momentum. I am convinced that the French will soon again be conquerors."
Blanc admits his side travel to Sarajevo while in a state of vulnerability.
He said: "I do not see us saying we are going to Bosnia to win.
"I am just hoping we can solve our problem as quickly as possible."
Chelsea midfielder Florent Malouda echoed his manager's sentiments.
"This team needs a good performance and a result that can become a reference," he said.
"We know it'll be very hard but maybe we should follow the example of Belarus, who came here looking for a point and then gradually started to play with more freedom."
Belarus host Romania in Minsk, while the group's two expected whipping boys clash in Tirana where Albania host Luxembourg.
Sergei Kislyak's late goal secured a famous 1-0 win in Paris, but Belarus coach Bernd Stange is not getting carried away.
"It is very nice to start the campaign with a victory, which in my view we totally deserved, but there is one more important match ahead, and it will require nothing less than maximum concentration," the German said.
Romania surprisingly could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to Albania but captain Cristian Chivu returns from suspension.
Coach Razvan Lucescu maintained the squad must stay positive.
"If our heads stay down we will not resolve our situation," he said.
"Life goes on and we have to go for it."
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