Arsenal
Croatia got here out winners towards desk toppers Czechia, placing 5 previous them, simply days after scoring seven towards Gibraltar. Zlatko Dalic’s facet now have two wins in two from their World Cup qualifiers and sit in second spot with a objective distinction of +11.
Dalic lined up in a 4-2-3-1 with Luka Modric and Petar Sucic beginning within the double pivot. Josko Gvardiol began because the left-back and Ante Budimir led the road. The sport additionally noticed the debut for 18-year-old defender Luka Vuskovic, who wasn’t even born when Modric made his worldwide debut.
Croatia seemed like the higher facet from the start, discovering the again of the web inside first quarter-hour earlier than it being dominated out. They created six massive possibilities, with 11 of their 18 whole pictures being on track. They recorded 36 touches contained in the opposition field on prime of this.
The 2018 World Cup runners-up opened the scoring within the forty second minute by Andrej Kramaric. Tomas Soucek equalized for Czechia within the second half from a nook scenario however it solely took Croatia 4 minutes to get the lead again.
Modric, who began the sport and was concerned in two targets for Croatia, stepped as much as convert from the spot within the 62nd minute, sending the goalkeeper the flawed manner. The Actual Madrid captain then assisted Croatia’s fifth objective within the seventy fifth minute, with an inviting supply off a set-piece.
The six-time Champions League winner checked out his finest, finishing 70 of his 77 tried passes, taking 4 pictures and making 4 recoveries in his 80 minutes on the pitch. It was an all spherical efficiency that has grow to be synonymous with Modric through the years.
