World Cup

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Attendance: 41,432

World Cup | Group Stage

Jun 17, 2018 at 1pm UK

Costa Rica
0-1
Serbia Serbia

FT(HT: 0-0)

Kolarov (56')

Mladen Krstajic pleased with Serbia team effort against Costa Rica

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter

Published: June 17 2018 | 17:26

Last updated: June 18 2018 | 18:34

Krstajic: 'Great team effort from Serbia'

Serbia boss Mladen Krstajic is pleased with "the right attitude and approach" from his players in the 1-0 win over Costa Rica in their World Cup Group E opener.

Serbia head coach Mladen Krstajic has praised his players for having "the right attitude and approach" as they ran out 1-0 winners over Costa Rica in their World Cup Group E opener in Samara.

Roma defender Aleksandar Kolarov scored the game's only goal on 56 minutes, curling a superb free kick over the wall and beyond the reach of Keylor Navas from 20 yards.

Krstajic was pleased with how his charges played as a team, comfortably seeing the game out for three deserved points in a tricky group also featuring Brazil and Switzerland.

"My players had the right attitude and approach, unity," the 44-year-old told reporters. "We had to be a compact unit in both defence and attack and that's most important.

"What's most important for me is that we played as a team and we were focused. We have to be planted firmly on the ground and continue as a team.

"I'm a person who likes to take responsibility and even if we had lost, I would've come here to analyse the match to the best of my abilities. I'm very happy and proud of my players for their team effort."

Up next for Serbia is a meeting with Switzerland in Kaliningrad on Friday.