Serbia U21s will host two games against their Lebanese counterparts next month as further build-up to their 2017 World Cup European Qualifiers. The matches will be played on 21 September at SC Inge and four days later at Hero-Polet Jajinci.
The hosts include seven players in their initial 25-man squad who are in contention for the full national side - Miodrag Tomic, Relja Petrovic, Aleksa Radic, Dorde Stošic, Pavle Vojinovic, Dario Abidinovic and Dragan Jankovic – along with two, Rajko Trifunovic and Vladimir Milutinovic, who step up from the U18s.
Serbian U21 coach Admir Hadjic commented: “We've been together almost the whole summer, mostly with the senior national side which is preparing for the WC Qualifiers in October. Training with the older players made the 21s a lot more committed and motivated and they are eager to showcase their development.”
SRLF general secretary Slobodan Manak added: “We are so happy that we can host once again our great friends from Lebanon. We've been touring each other’s countries for last decade or so and this will be another spectacle of the up-and-coming players.”
The Young Cedars include Imad Chidiac and Raymond Sabat who were capped for Lebanon for the first time in Italy. Omar Knio was in their U18 squad that toured Serbia in July, whilst Georges Farah, George Yazbeck and Omar Marhaba were in the Lebanon U18 squad that toured Serbia in 2012. Lebanon U21 coach Robin Hachache noted: “Preparation has been good, with a lot of enthusiasm and commitment from the boys.”
LRLF Performance Director Tarik Houchar commented: “The recent Cedars tour of Sicily and being crowned Mediterranean Cup champions has brought back a sense of excitement to all the rugby league players and rugby league community in Lebanon. It is our best youth up next and I'm excited to see the progress made under Robin alongside our new high performance coach Gabby Haddad, and I know these young men will do there county proud.”
Pictured: Lebanon and Serbia resume hostilities.
SERBIAN U21 25-MAN SQUAD
Pavle Vojinović, Dario Abidinović, Ronaldo Bitići, Petar Kovač, Vladimir Milutinović, Dragan Janković, Denis Bibić, Branko Čarapić i Kosta Stojković (all Partizan), Miodrag Tomić, Denis Čengaj, Rajko Trifunović, Miloš Kostadinović, Mladen Ranđić, Nikola Đurić (Red Star),Relja Petrović, Aleksa Radić, Andrej Mora, Milan Čobanović, Milan Avramović, Miloš Aleksić (Dorćol), Đorđe Stošić, Stefan Arsić(Soko Vranje),Velibor Ristić and Aleksandar Pavlović (Radnički Niš)
LEBANON U21 25-MAN SQUAD
Mohamad Akil, Mohamad Ghadar, Marwan Janoun, Nicholas Traboulsi (AUB-JV),Omar Knio (Broummana High School), Imad Chidiac, James Haddad, Marc Mansour, (Immortals RLFC), Jeffrey Tohme (Jounieh RLFC), Rany Abi Falah, Jean Michel Rizk (NDU), Joseph Aslan, Georges Farah, Omar Marhaba, George Yazbeck, (Tripoli RLFC), Ziad Agha, Suk Bajwa, Alfred Bowles, Robbie Farjallah, Raphael Mekari, Hamzeh Al Murdaa, Malek Nourredine, Raymond Sabat, Luk Savadogo, Hisham El Yafi, (Wolves RLFC)