Northern Ireland v Bosnia

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

GOALKEEPERS

ERVIN ZUKANOVIC Genoa Age 31 Caps 26 Goals 0

IBRAHIM SEHIC Erzurumspor Age 30 Caps 12 Goals 0

Zukanovic has played his club football in Italy since 2014, featuring for Chievo, Sampdoria, Roma, Atalanta and Genoa. Was born in 1987 and wears the number 87 shirt at Genoa. The defender has previously played in the Champions League for Roma as he featured against Real Madrid in 2016. ERMIN BICAKCIC Hoffenheim Age 28 Caps 24 Goals 3 First capped by Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013 and he scored his first goal in a crucial World Cup 2014 qualifying victory over Slovakia. Made his Bundesliga debut back in 2010 for Stuttgart in a 5-3 loss to Bayern Munich and he was taken off an hour in after Mario Gomez had scored a hat-trick. DARKO TODOROVIC Red Bull Salzburg Age 21 Caps 4 Goals 0 Todorovic received his first Bosnia and Herzegovina cap playing right-back against the United States in Prosinecki’s first game at the start of the year. He has started three friendlies since too so would seem to be a good bet to be in the visitors’ starting line-up against Michael O’Neill’s men. ELDAR CIVIC Sparta Prague Age 22 Caps 1 Goals 0 Civic has kept his place in the squad having only made his first international appearance against Korea Republic a few months ago. Prosinecki started him at left-back in that encounter and the 22-year-old provided the assist for Edin Visca’s first goal. Civic has previously represented his nation at Under-21 level. BOJAN NASTIC Genk Age 24 Caps 1 Goals 0 Another defender in Prosinecki’s squad with just one cap to his credit - Nastic started at left-back in the 0-0 draw with Montenegro in May. Nastic had featured for Serbia Under-17s and Under-21s and only received confirmation from FIFA that he could represent Bosnia and Herzegovina in the same month he made his debut.

Sehic recently moved to the Turkish Super Lig after five years in Azerbaijan with Qarabag. Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic was the only Bosnia and Herzegovina player to play in all 10 of their World Cup 2018 qualifiers but Sehic has started all six games since Robert Prosinecki was appointed manager in January. KENAN PIRIC Maribor Age 24 Caps 1 Goals 0 Only made his international debut against Mexico earlier this year as a half-time substitute for Sehic. Piric had previously played in the domestic league with Zrinjski but joined Slovenian club Maribor in the summer. He was an unused substitute in both of his team’s Europa League games against Rangers in August. VEDRAN KJOSEVSKI Zeljeznicar Age 23 Caps 0 Goals 0 Kjosevski is uncapped but received his first call-up for the games against Bulgaria and Senegal in March. Has previously represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at various youth levels and has spent his entire senior career in the Premijer Liga with Zeljeznicar, who have finished each of the past two campaigns as runners-up. Another who made a move in the transfer window as he joined Belgian club Anderlecht, having previously played club football in Greece, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Moldova and Serbia. Vranjes played in seven of his nation’s 10 World Cup 2018 qualifiers and is the most experienced player of this defensive group. TONI SUNJIC Dynamo Moscow Age 29 Caps 33 Goals 1 Represented his nation at the 2014 World Cup and played in two of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s group games in Brazil. Sunjic made his debut in a 2-0 friendly win over Wales six years ago and scored his first goal in a 3-2 loss to Cyprus during qualification for this summer’s World Cup. OGNJEN VRANJES Anderlecht Age 28 Caps 35 Goals 0

DEFENDERS

MIDFIELDERS

MIRALEM PJANIC Juventus Age 28 Caps 79 Goals 12

Only Germany’s Joshua Kimmich provided more assists across Europe than Pjanic in the World Cup 2018 qualifiers. Pjanic speaks six different languages and recently signed a new contract with reigning Serie A champions Juventus. Also featured in the 2014 World Cup and scored in the 3-1 win over Iran during the tournament.

Words Liam Blackburn

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