Croatia 3-2 Spain
This game was supposed to be Croatia’s swan song at the top of the UEFA Nations League. It was hard to forget what Spain did last time out, and their previous result against England didn’t really give them any encouraging signs.
However, a man named Tin Jedvaj decided to put his big-boy boots on and stun both his team and his opponents as he scored two important goals to help keep their Nations League hopes alive!
There’s definitely no doubt that Jedvaj’s name is on the mouth of every Croatian football fan at the moment. What he did was simply spectacular!
Highlights of the game
Both teams played the strongest XIs they could field, and the Stadion Maksimir crowd was in full support for their lads as the game began. Many were especially looking forward to the duel between Real Madrid team-mates Luka Modric and Sergio Ramos. Both are captaining their sides, and Modric spoke highly of the defender.
The game started with Spain and Croatia trading blows in the early minutes of the match. La Furia Roja wanted to stoke the flames of Croatia’s painful defeat anew and did everything they can to put themselves in an advantageous position.
However, Croatia were the ones who first got their scoring opportunity. Ivan Perisic got a hold of the football and fired a low effort to the bottom-left corner. However, David de Gea managed to produce a superb save to deny the shot.
Perisic had another shot at goal in the 14th minute when he beat the defence once more. However, his toe-poke of a goal attempt flew past the right post.
From that point on, though, the flow of the game ebbed towards the Spaniards. They had a superb midfield and were making precise passes into the box. Croatia were clinging defensively as Sergi Roberto, Rodrigo and Jordi Alba made prying moves deep in the Croatian half.
The first half ended with seemingly no UEFA Nations League 2018 highlights being made. Luis Enrique understood how important of a game this is for their Nations League hopes, and a positive result here would have secured the victory of their group. He motivated his team to do better in the reset.
That’s exactly what the Spaniards did. They upped the pressure and made more elaborate build-ups that started from the back. The momentum was on the up, and this was a type of game that would eventually snag a goal. While the goal did arrive, it came from an unexpected source.
A safe clearance from the David de Gea saw the football with the right side of the Spanish backline in the 54th minute. They passed the ball around, but a Croat shirt was able to intercept the football. Andre Kramaric was quick to latch himself to the ball, run towards the goal and produced a near-post shot that beat De Gea.
The progress was against the run of play, and live UEFA Nations League odds were rattled by the action witnessed. However, La Furia Roja were able to quickly get back on the game two minutes later. They crowded the Croatian box, and Isco found a running Daniel Ceballos. With a Croatian defender latched onto him, the Real Madrid man was able to find the back of the net.
It definitely blew the wind out of Croatia’s sails, but their captain had something to say about that. Luka fired a beautiful cross from the left onto the far post. Tin Jedvaj, a young full-back plying his trade at Bayer Leverkusen, rushed in and headed the ball past the Manchester United stopper. The stadium roared to life as they celebrated.
Another Madrid star stole the nation’s thunder once more, though. Sime Vrsaljko committed a handball inside the box, and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot. The crowd jeered as the centre-back prepared his shot. Lovre Kalinic, who was making good saves in the game, was sent the other way as Ramos masterfully fired the second goal.
It seemed like all hope is lost for the hosts as they struggled to get going against a resolute Spanish side, but Jedvaj shone once more and scored in the most emphatic fashion.
Two minutes into added time, the Croatia attack fired shot after shot to the Spanish goal, but De Gea and the defence were making some important stops. Josip Brekalo made a low-driven shot that was brilliantly saved by De Gea, but Jedvaj was there once again to run to the rebound unmarked and score the third goal.
Zlatko Dalic was absolutely delighted. Everyone ran towards the 22-year-old. The 32,500 in attendance at Stadion Maksimir were shouting Jedvaj’s name. He is the hero who helped Croatia complete their sweetest revenge.
Key Statistics
With the bounty of goals we got in this game, it’s incredible that all of them were scored in only 40 minutes of second-half play. Spain had 61% possession and had the goals to show off their effectiveness, but the Croats had their number as they were caught offside four times.
Croatia were pesky on the attack, making 16 goal attempts with seven of those on target. They also forced De Gea, arguably the best keeper in the game, to make four fantastic saves in his 90 minutes of action.
What’s next?
Everyone, from casual football fans to calculated SBOBET punters, is already buzzing about what this result means in their Nations League campaign. While Spain are still ahead by two points, a positive result for Croatia against England would mean La Roja ceding their top spot in the league.
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