BBC SPORT | Football | World Cup 2006 | Teams | Serbia & Montenegro (original) (raw)

Vidic says Serbia and Montenegro can spring a surprise in Germany

Nemanja Vidic has vowed to shrug off the disappointment of missing Serbia and Montenegro's opener against Holland and play his part in the World Cup.

The Manchester United player will miss the game after being sent off against Bosnia-Herzegovina in qualifying.

But the defender has targeted a return against Argentina and the Ivory Coast, saying: "I am doing my best in training and am focusing on my own form.

"It won't be easy to come in from the second game, but I will do my best."

He added: "I'm concentrating on the first game even though I won't be able to help my team-mates.

"But this team will have me for the next two matches and I must be at a top level."

And the centre-half is optimistic his side can emerge from what has been labelled the "group of death".

"If we play like we did in qualifying, and if we enter the first match against Holland with courage and self-confidence, we can spring a surprise," he said.

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