Croatian soccer players killed

Published May 31, 2003

ZAGREB, May 30: Croatian international Silvester Sabolcki and two other players from premier league side FC Varteks Varazdin have been killed in a car crash in northern Croatia, police said on Friday.

A police report said that the accident happened early on Friday in the northern Croatian town of Varazdin when the driver lost control while going at high speed.

Midfielder Sabolcki, 23, played for the Croatian under-21 team at the European Championships in Slovakia in 2000 and made two appearances in friendlies for the senior national side earlier this year.

Last week he signed to play for champions Dinamo Zagreb next season.

Krunoslav Sabolic, 24, and Kristijan Kitner, 20, were also killed in the crash.

Police released only the initials of the victims, but the identity of the players was confirmed by their club FC Varteks, and was reported by the state news agency Hina.

Another young Croatian international, 21-year old striker Danijel Popovic of FC Osijek, was also killed in a car crash in eastern Croatia last October.—Reuters

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