Yugoslavia Rolls Into Meeting With U.S. Team

By CHRIS FOSTER

June 30, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Nothing like a little pressure.

Goran Ciercovic, the general secretary of the Yugoslavian Water Polo Federation, has already declared this the “best team that has ever played for Yugoslavia.”

A bold statement, considering Yugoslavia won Olympic gold medals in 1984 and 1988. Still, other people may start believing.

Yugoslavia continued to dominate the UPS International Cup with a 10-4 victory over Australia on Thursday at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Reserve Center. Yugoslavia (3-0) faces its toughest test in the tournament tonight, when it plays the United States (2-0-1) at 8:30.

Ciercovic’s assessment may just turn out to be prophetic.

“I’m confident that he is right,” goalie Aleksandar Sostar said. “The 1988 team was really good, but in my opinion this is the strongest team I have ever played on.”

Sostar would know. He was, after all, the goalie for the 1988 gold-medal team. At 36, he shows no signs of slowing down. He has allowed 10 goals in three tournament games.

Sostar is the link to Yugoslavia’s glory days. Besides his 1988 experience, he was the backup goalie in 1984. Yugoslavia defeated the United States in the gold-medal game both times.

“His experience is great,” said Aleksandar Sapic, who scored a team-high two goals in the victory over Australia. “He has played in the Olympics, the World Cup and all the big international tournaments. He is definitely one of the best goalies in the world.”

The Yugoslavia national water polo program has managed to sustain itself through wars and sanctions. Yugoslavia was banned from defending its gold medal in 1992.

“Like all the other sports, we had problems,” Sapic said. “But with our talent concentrated on one [club] team, it helped us through the tough years.”

Yugoslavia finished eighth in 1996, but did not have Sostar, who was considered too old at the time. No one would claim that today.

Sostar wasn’t tested often by Australia, but he made two solid saves in the first period when the game was close, showing his reactions haven’t slowed both times.

“It is amazing that he has played so long and so well,” U.S. Coach John Vargas said. “He has all that experience and he is still on top of his game.”

In other games, the U.S. team defeated the U.S. B team, 14-3, and Croatia defeated Italy, 9-8.