Football
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Miralem Pjanic: Bosnia-Herzegovina knew we'd have to score in Ireland

Miralem Pjanic says Bosnia-Herzegovina always knew they would have to score away to Republic of Ireland to reach Euro 2016 as they prepare for Monday's playoff second leg with the tie finely poised.

A 1-1 draw in Zenica at the weekend may have given Ireland a slight advantage in the race for one of the remaining three places in France next summer, but Pjanic says his country were always counting on having to complete the job with a win in the second leg.

"Of course [the draw] was not the result we wanted but we knew that this was a game over 180 minutes and that we would have to score at least one goal in Dublin," the Roma midfielder told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport. "The scenario has not changed: in theory, we just need a 1-0 win.

"We want to give our country great joy. Football lights up the eyes of the Bosnian people."

Pjanic said the fog that threatened to bring a premature end to the first leg had affected the team negatively, and that Ireland got lucky to land their away goal.

"We played a good first half, but in the second half we were bothered by the fog," the 25-year-old said. "When we came out for the second half, we all thought it was just the smoke from flares. The fog arrived all of a sudden and it damaged us.

"We attacked for 90 minutes, though, while Ireland only had two shots on goal, and they scored one."

Pjanic is currently in excellent form for club and country, and he said: "I'm feeling good physically and this helps a lot.

"I spent the summer holidays training to get over an ankle problem that forced me to play last season in some pain.

"Wearing a Bosnia shirt warms my heart. It represents my origins, my blood and my culture. Bosnia is my spirit."

Bosnia goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, meanwhile, said there is no clear favourite to progress.

He said: "Honestly, before the first tie it was two evenly-matched teams. I don't think there was one clear favourite. As the first game showed, there's not much between the two sides and I expect more of the same tomorrow night.

"It's about trying to execute as much as possible and as well as possible and then we will see where it takes us in the end. We will try to limit the mistakes and hopefully we can come out the other side.

"Maybe being at home Ireland will expect a little more and we will try to use that to our advantage."

Bosnia coach Mehmed Badarevic has no injury concerns for Monday evening's clash at the Aviva Stadium.

Information from the Press Association was used in this report.

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