Just Four Things: Croatia Vs. England

It Won’t Be Coming Home

England had it at one point of the match. They believed they can go all the way when Kieran Trippier’s beautiful free-kick went over the big Croatian wall and in. They kept going and going and somehow have not scored more. Harry Kane and Jesse Lingard had those chances and yet they couldn’t convert. If they had not made those minor mistakes, they would’ve been facing France instead for the coveted prize. Instead, they fell into the deep, dark hole of despair.

All England needed was to intensify the pressure. If they had kept playing the way they did in the first half, England would’ve won. But for a high stakes match like this, you must never take your foot off the pedal so slightly (In which we will go into detail next) and you will regret it.

Still, no one expected this kind of team to go far. Majority of the players were in their first-ever major tournament and the way they made it to the semi-finals was beyond any English person’s imagination. They can still salvage some pride in the third-place playoff against Belgium in a rematch. Now this young England team must pick themselves up and build on what they learned from this World Cup for the future.

Makers Of Their Own Downfall

England started brightly. Trippier’s free-kick was the epitome of how well the Three Lions took the game to Croatia, Raheem Sterling was actually lively and gave Dejan Lovren a run for their money. They carved out two great chances, but Harry Kane somehow didn’t get the ball in (Although a pass to a freer Sterling was a better option in hindsight) and Jesse Lingard’s effort was off-target. When the 2nd half started, the tempo of the match was much different

England for some reason didn’t replicate the pressure they had on their opponents. Instead, Croatia grew back in the game and never looked like surrendering their hold on this match. What ultimately cost England was a lack of self-awareness by their defence. Trippier & Kyle Walker didn’t see Ivan Perisic coming in from behind by the left and the winger shoots the ball in from Sime Vrsajlko’s sublime cross.

Then, the finishing blow came in extra time. John Stones made the same error as Walker and didn’t anticipate Mario Mandzukic behing him about to get ahead, while Harry Maguire didn’t follow the Juventus striker’s run. What came next was Croatia’s winning goal with Mandzukic lashing the ball in from Perisic’s header. Those were the fine margins of error and England brutally paid for it.

Pick-Ford Focus

England may have been in a much worse position had it not for their goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The Everton No. 1 looked sharp and focus throughout the whole tournament having been making tremendous saves against Colombia & Sweden prior to this match. Here, he saved his defence at least twice form making brave saves to at least keep the scoreline at a respectable level.

One such event was in first half of extra time when a cross was coming in that Mandzukic got ahead of two central defenders. However, Pickford started his run much earlier as he shielded the goal and saved Mandzukic’s shot that was inevitably going in. He sacrificed his body to make sure it remained 1-1 at that point. Because of his performances, his personal stock value will surely rise. Everton will have another reason to be excited when the new season starts.

The Ironmen

It was 1998 that the dream started for Croatia. Davor Suker lead the team to a semi-final finish in their maiden World Cup that saw them lost to a much better France side. This team we’re seeing now has officially eclipsed the ’98 team as they are now in the finals. Not only that, their final opponents were the very same country that knocked them out twenty years ago.

The England match was the third time in a row Croatia had to deal with extra time. The previous two saw them needing penalties but not this time as Mandzukic helped booked their ticket. How did they soldier on without almost a hint of fatigue? It was apparent at first in the first half when they looked like they were in a slump indicating they were still feeling the effects of their last two matches.

When the second half start, they played with much more vigor. Luka Modric was the engine room as he pulled the strings from midfield. Daniel Subasic & Sime Vrsaljko didn’t looked like they were injured, Rakitic was his usual best, Domagoj Vida made sure the England attacks were cut out and Perisic & Mandzukic’s poaching instincts kicked in where it mattered the most. Maybe this is their year. But now they have to deal with a much younger and a more talented France side. What a chance to avenge the Croatian heroes of ’98 and it’s presented to them on a platter.

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