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Tag: croatia

  • Rebel Croatia striker Kalinic rejects World Cup runners-up medal

    Rebel Croatia striker Kalinic rejects World Cup runners-up medal

    Nikola Kalinic has rejected a World Cup runners-up medal gifted him by his teammates and coaching staff.

    Despite not playing a minute at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Kalinic’s international team-mates and coaching staff decided to award the 30 year old with a silver medal following the World Cup final defeat to France.

    “Thanks for the medal, but I did not play in Russia,” Kalinic told Sportske Novosti.

  • BREAKING: France defeat Croatia, lift 2018 World Cup trophy

    BREAKING: France defeat Croatia, lift 2018 World Cup trophy

    France has won the World Cup by defeating Croatia 4-2 in Moscow.

    It is the second World Cup trophy for France since the tournament was held in the nation back in 1998.

    With an average age of 26, France had the second youngest team in the tournament, and their golden generation featuring Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe are set to return home as heroes.

    Croatia took charge of proceedings in the first ten minutes but the French side went ahead after Mario Mandzukic flicked the ball onto his own net at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

    Ivan Perisic then levelled things up for Croatia in the 28th minute before he handled the ball in his box to give Didier Deschamp’s team a penalty which Antoine Griezmann clinically put away.

    Paul Pogba and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe netted a goal each as the second-half began to put the game beyond the reach of their opponents.

    However, a moment of ”madness” from Hugo Lloris handed the Croats a lifeline but the 1998 champions sat back to see off the game, exorcising the demons of their 2006 loss in Germany.

  • Croatia underestimated by English pundits lacking respect – Modric

    Croatia underestimated by English pundits lacking respect – Modric

    Croatia were “underestimated” by English pundits who lacked respect, says captain Luka Modric.

    Zlatko Dalic’s side beat England 2-1 in extra time to reach the World Cup final for the first time in their history.

    Midfielder Modric said the team had been motivated by people saying they would be “tired” after their previous two matches went to penalty shootouts.

    “We showed again we were not tired,” he said. “We dominated the game physically, mentally, in all aspects.”

    Kieran Trippier gave England the lead in Moscow, but Ivan Perisic levelled for Croatia before Mario Mandzukic scored the winning goal in the 109th minute.

    “English journalists, pundits from television, they underestimated Croatia and that was a huge mistake,” Real Madrid’s Modric told ITV. “They should be more humble and respect more opponents.

    “All these words from them we take, we were reading and we were saying, ‘OK, today we will see who will be tired’.”

    England face Croatia in October and November in the new Uefa Nations League.

    Croatia, whose previous best World Cup performance was a third-place finish in 1998, face France in Moscow on Sunday.

    “It is the biggest success in Croatian history in sport and we have to be proud,” added Modric.

    Croatia defender Dejan Lovren said Modric deserves to win the Ballon d’Or if they win Sunday’s final, describing his team-mate as the “best midfield player in the world”.

    The Liverpool centre-back also believes he should be considered one of the world’s best defenders.

    Lovren, 29, made 43 appearances for Liverpool last season as they finished fourth in the Premier League and reached the Champions League final.

    But he was criticised for some of his performances during the season, and received a death threat after October’s 4-1 defeat by Tottenham.

    “I think people should recognise that I am also one of the best defenders in the world and not just talk nonsense,” he told Bein Sports.

     

  • BREAKING: Croatia through to 2018 World Cup final

    BREAKING: Croatia through to 2018 World Cup final

    Croatia defeat England 2-1 on Wednesday to advance into 2018 FIFA World Cup final.

    England’s bid to reach a first World Cup final since 1966 came to an end in the last four as they lost in extra time to Croatia in Moscow.

    Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic scored the winning goal in the 109th minute, slotting in from Ivan Perisic’s flick-on into the area.

    Perisic’s volley sent the match into extra time after Kieran Trippier had given England a fifth-minute lead with a sublime free-kick.

    Unfancied before the competition, Gareth Southgate’s young side defied expectations by reaching the semi-finals, but were undone by an experienced Croatia side.

    England, playing in their first World Cup semi-final since 1990, got the perfect start through Trippier’s brilliant free-kick and Croatia were finding it extremely difficult to deal with England’s high-tempo game.

    Harry Kane could have doubled the lead but was denied by goalkeeper Danijel Subasic and Jesse Lingard placed a shot wide from a good position.

    Croatia grew into the game in the second half and equalised through Perisic, and the Inter Milan winger hit the post with a low drive shortly after.

    In extra time John Stones saw a header cleared off the line, while Pickford made a brilliant save from Mandzukic’s close range effort – but the Everton man could do nothing about the winner.

    England will now play Belgium in Saturday’s third/fourth place play-off in St Petersburg.

  • It’s a miracle that Croatia are in World Cup semi-final – Dalic

    It’s a miracle that Croatia are in World Cup semi-final – Dalic

    Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic admits it is a “miracle” his side are in the World Cup semi-final.

    Croatia face England on Wednesday night in Moscow in their first last-four appearance at the World Cup since 1998.

    They beat both Denmark and Russia on penalties in the knockout stages, and Dalic says this period is the best in his coaching career.

    He told RLC: “I believed and now that we are in the four best teams we are surprised, okay, it’s a miracle, but why wouldn’t we be among the four best teams?

    “We have to believe in ourselves, we have such players, we have such potential, so it’s not weird.

    “This is for me the most wonderful, beautiful period of my coaching career, the one I dreamed about, the way I came, but the greatest merits are our players.

    “Every one of them is great, but there are people around me, my staff who work with me and we all live as one family these 45 days and all have their merits. That’s why I’m really happy and I wouldn’t want to stop here.”

    Croatia struggled to find rhythm in their knockout games against Denmark and Russia, with Dalic claiming the defensive style of their opponents stifled their creativity.

    He hopes England will be more suited to their style of play, but added that recovering from two extended games will be difficult.

    “We played twice for 120 minutes in six days and spent tremendously, physically and mentally. There was a lot of energy needed for it, we do not have much time and we have to be ready for the game in three days.

    “It will not be easy and we have two days to see who is ready, whether the injured players can recover or we will have to play without someone, but I think we just have to put those who are the most healthy and timid in the game because we have no right to make a mistake.

    “We had three tough games, with opponents who are not our style, our way of playing, defensive teams, a lot of long balls, skipping game, and that did not suit us.

    “But I’m glad we demonstrated strength at such matches and adapted their style, we played the best we could and finally got those matches. I hope that against England it will finally be our style of play and our match.”

    sky sports

  • BREAKING: Croatia shatter Russia’s World Cup dream to qualify for semi-final

    BREAKING: Croatia shatter Russia’s World Cup dream to qualify for semi-final

    Croatia beat Russia 4-3 on penalties on Saturday to set up a World Cup semi-final against England after a dramatic match full of twists and turns.

    The teams were locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes and remained locked – though at 2-2 – after extra time, before being forced into a shootout.

    Russia and Croatia had traded goals during the 90 minutes at the Fisht Stadium. Denis Cheryshev scored the opener for the host nation before Andrej Kramaric equalised and the teams went into extra time.

    The game finished 2-2 after extra-time following a late equaliser by Russia’s Mario Fernandes.

    Denis Cheryshev struck a stunning opener from a distance to give the hosts the lead in the 31st minute but Croatia equalised through Andrej Kramaric just eight minutes later.

    Croatia’s Domagoj Vida broke the deadlock in extra-time, getting his head to the ball from a corner to score in the 101st minute but Fernandes headed home from a free-kick just five minutes before the end in Sochi.

    Croatia will meet England in the World Cup last four after defeating the host nation Russia 4-3

  • Russia 2018: Croatia beat Denmark on penalties to reach World Cup quarter finals

    Russia 2018: Croatia beat Denmark on penalties to reach World Cup quarter finals

    Croatia beat Denmark in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw to set up a World Cup quarter-final tie against hosts Russia.

    It was the second last-16 game of the day to go to a shootout after Russia had earlier shocked 2010 champions Spain.

    Croatia could have won the game in extra-time but captain Luka Modric had a penalty saved by Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel, after Mathias Jorgensen brought down Ante Rebic.

    Denmark took the lead in the first minute as Huddersfield’s Jorgensen squeezed in from close range, but Croatia levelled just three minutes later from Mario Mandzukic’s fortuitous strike.

    Juventus striker Mandzukic flicked a header wide, Ivan Perisic blazed a shot over from 10 yards out, while Denmark’s Christian Eriksen clipped the bar with a cross.

    After the explosive start, the game turned into a cagey affair. A poor second half saw Nicolai Jorgensen strike an effort straight at Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic as the game move in to extra-time.

    Substitute Pione Sisto spun and curled a shot narrowly wide, before Ivan Rakitic struck the winning penalty.

    Croatia and Russia meet at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on Saturday.