After the Croatia national team convincingly won 3:0 against Cyprus on Friday, Croatia continued its 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign in rainy Osijek against Slovakia on Monday.
Before this match, Croatia and Russia led Group H with 16 points each.
Lineups
Croatia: Livaković – Stanišić, Vida, Gvardiol, Barišić – Brozović, Modrić – Ivanušec, Pašalić, Perišić – Kramarić
Slovakia: Rodak – Koscelnik, Šatka, Škriniar, Hancko – Hrošovsky, Kucka – Schranz, Hamšik, Haraslin – Almasi
Andrej Kramarić thus started at the top of the attack instead of Marko Livaja, Luka Ivanušec took over the right wing, while Borna Barišić filled in for Sosa on left back. Domagoj Vida returned to the stopper position and Ćaleta-Car moved to the bench, while Mario Pašalić was in the starting 11 instead of Nikola Vlašić.
Recall, Zlatko Dalić didn’t have Mateo Kovačić available due to yellow cards.
Croatia possessed the game in the first 5 minutes, showing their dominance at home but without any real chances to score. Slovakia certainly pressed up the pitch in the minutes that followed and was awarded their first corner kick in the 9th minute.
Brozovic and Modric had the best attacking play so far in the 11th minute though the Slovakia keeper denied a shot on goal.
A Hamšik free kick in the 20th minute found the head on an unmarked Schranz who scored for the 0:1 Slovakia lead.
Modrić angrily shot far post in the 24th minute which was deflected for a corner. Kramarić scored the equalizer with his head off Modrić’s cross for 1:1 and his first national team goal in 13 games!
Croatia almost took the lead nearing the 30th minute but the Slovakia keeper was brilliant to block Pašalić and keep the score even. Barašić shot two minutes later forcing the keeper to make another save. Kramarić’s confidence from scoring could be seen on the pitch as the striker had another great chance. Brozović also tested the Slovakia keeper with a shot in the 37th minute.
Haraslin, however, was the one to take the lead in the 45th minute for 1:2. Kramarić hit the post in the post in the final seconds of added time. The match ended 1:2 for Slovakia at halftime.
Dalić subbed on Nikola Vlašić for Luka Ivanušec to start the second half.
Slovakia came out with a few chances to start the second half, with close calls for Livaković. Kramarić had a brilliant chance in the 57th minute which he shanked off target.
Pašalić came off for Brekalo in the 59th minute. Modrić had a shot on target in the 60th.
Perišić and Vlašić had a nice play in the 65th minute which was hit wide of the goal.
Livaja was subbed on for Stanišić in the 67th minute, showing Dalić’s offensive strategy to not only get the equalizer but the win.
Croatia was awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area in the 69th minute, and Croatia got their chance. Luka Modrić brilliantly hit the ball through the Slovakia wall for 2:2!
Croatia was awarded another free kick a bit further outside of the penalty area in the 77th minute. Vida almost had a header in the goal in the next play.
Just when we thought Croatia did it again after a stunning Kramarić ball into the box and Vlašić goal, the referee ruled it offside.
Brozović almost put Croatia in the lead with 3 minutes to go but weakly shot at the keeper, and Vlašić missed in the 89th.
The referee added 4 minutes of injury time to the end of the match, in which neither team could score.
Croatia has two final qualifiers against Malta and Russia next month.
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