updated 7:17 p.m. ET Oct. 7, 2004

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina - Bosnia-Herzegovina may feel like the visiting team Saturday when it hosts Serbia-Montenegro in a World Cup qualifier that reveals the deep ethnic divisions left from a civil war that ended a decade ago with 250,000 dead.

Postwar Bosnia is divided into a Serb part and a Muslim-Croat part, linked only by joint state institutions. Most Bosnian Serbs don’t relate to Bosnia as their homeland.

“I am a fan of Serbia-Montenegro because I do not feel anything for the Bosnian team. I cheer for those where my heart is — Serbia,” said Ljubisa Marinkovic, 29, a resident of the Bosnian Serb capital Banja Luka.

“My brain tells me Bosnia but my heart tell me Serbia, so Serbia it is. We are one nation, one religion, one people,” said Radivoj Tomic, 50, also of Banja Luka.

Sarajevo residents, however, regardless of their ethnicity, seem to support the Bosnian squad.

“Soccer is a game. It should not have anything to do with politics,” said Zoran Hadzic, a 35-year-old Sarajevo resident whose mother is Serb and father is Muslim. “My nationality is irrelevant. I am a Bosnian and the Bosnian national squad is my squad.”

Njegos Radovic, 45, an economist from the Bosnian Serb-controlled part of Sarajevo, said he would wear a Serbian jersey to the stadium and carry the flag of Serbia-Montenegro.

“I am a Serb, a Bosnian Serb but still a Serb. Serbia is my true homeland and there is no reason for me to cheer for Bosnia,” he said.

The game originally was scheduled to be played in Zenica, but was moved to Kosevo Olympic Stadium by FIFA, which banned play at Bilino Polje Stadium for two matches.

Relations between the neighboring nations have been strained since the 1992-95 war, which began when Bosnia declared independence from Serb-dominated Yugoslavia.

Serb troops from then-Yugoslavia supported Bosnian Serbs as they fought in a war that among Muslims, Serbs and Croats. About 1.8 million people were drive from their homes.

A 1995 peace agreement ended the war but left Bosnia divided along ethnic lines.

Two years ago, Bosnia and Yugoslavia — since reshaped into Serbia-Montenegro — played an exhibition game in Sarajevo, which is mainly Muslim. The match was followed by clashes between Bosnia fans and Bosnian Serb supporters of Yugoslavia, injuring several fans and 19 police officers.

Back then, the Yugoslav supporters carried posters with the photo of Bosnia’s most wanted war crimes suspect, Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic.

Police plan to confiscate all nationalist symbols at the stadium gates. Only official flags and symbols will be permitted, police spokesman Magbul Skoro said.

Serbia-Montenegro won 3-0 at San Marino in its opener on Sept. 4, and Bosnia-Herzegovina gained a 1-1 tie at France four days later. Spain and Belgium are the favorites to advance from Group Seven of European qualifying.

MORE FROM SOCCER

Soccer Section Front

Beckham says problems with Donovan resolved Slideshow: The life of Becks, on and off the field Obama welcomes Crew to White House Landon Donovan selected MLS All-Star for 9th time Ferguson: Madrid priced United out of transfers Tevez agrees to join Manchester City MLS scores, schedules, standings, more Vote: Who will be MLS champions? Scores from England, Spain, Italy, more MORE ON SOCCER Soccer Section Front   Add Soccer headlines to your news reader: