Favourites Croatia are England’s first real test
SAINT PETERSBURG: Sport is real time in fast forward but ahead of Wednesday’s semifinal between England and Croatia — another one in a World Cup full of glorious uncertainties — those of a certain age would remember Steve Mcclaren trying to shield himself from the cold November rain in Wembley in 2007. England lost 3-2 to Croatia and failed to qualify for the 2008 European championships and without meaning to, Mcclaren being the ‘wally with the brolly’ added a touch of humour to a miserable night.
Like Mcclaren, Gareth Southgate does line up a number of young players but that’s where the similarities end. If Mcclaren’s men were a mish-mash of confusion, Southgate’s team punches above its weight because the individuals add up to more than the sum of its parts.
In that sense, Croatia’s a lot like them too. Unlike Croatia, who have somehow hauled themselves into the last-four stage on the back of two games that went into penalties and had to play Argentina in the group stage, England haven’t really been tested yet, barring the Colombia match that went into penalty shootouts and the Poms managed to break their jinx.
For a team that has Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic — unheralded and unknown, they had played that night in Wembley — and Mario Mandzukic, it beggars belief that Croatia were stretched by Denmark and Russia. Or maybe it doesn’t.
Because leaving it for late has been a hallmark of Croatia’s campaign with coach Zlatko Dalic appointed days before their must-win game against Ukraine in the World Cup qualifiers.
Southgate’s team came to Russia with near-zero expectations and seems to be carrying no baggage from the past; most players were not born when England last made it to the semi-finals in 1990. Harry Kane has been their go-to man for goals but five of their remaining 11 goals have come from four players.
For Croatia, it is even more evenly spread, with seven players getting one goal and Modric two.
And neither team has a superstar in the Lionel Messi, Neymar or Cristiano Ronaldo mould. Modric is the man Croatia look up to for all the right reasons --- he has made 243 passes in the opposition half, the maximum among players in both teams --- but at his club Real Madrid, the playmaker would be fourth biggest star with Ronaldo occupying the top three slots.
Rakitic too plays in the shadow of Messi and Luis Suarez and, till recently, Andres Iniesta and a world and European champion such as Gerard Pique.
Kane is a goalscorer par excellence but Southgate’s team is about youngsters playing for the shirt and not about an assortment of stars that previous England teams have looked like.
“We have got to this point because our collective is so strong. We have young players who are prepared to be brave on the ball and have shown a real mental resilience,” Southgate said.