Belfast Telegraph

Find that extra fade to dust

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will f i xate on that moment to explain why things went the way they did, but it was just one action, totally at odds with the f low of the game, which was entirely in Croatia’s favour.

It was Mario Mandzukic who killed England off, and they cannot say that they were not warned. At the end of the f irst half of extra-time, he pounced on a low cross into the box, which Jordan Pickford kept out only with t ypically brilliant instinctiv­e save. But you cannot sur vive like that forever.

Mandzukic had the reading of England. He knew they were tired, struggling, and could not hold him back forever. Soon af ter the restar t, Perisic and Trippier challenged for a header on the edge of the box. It looked harmless enough. But as the ball looped towards goal, Manduzkic was sharper on it, more aware, than Maguire and Stones around him. He tucked the ball away before England had woken up.

England had nothing lef t and spent the last 10 minutes looking lost and out of their depth. Like a team who had given ever y thing but had f inally come up against a side with more experience, more nous and more ruthlessne­ss than them.

 ??  ?? Full blast: Mario Mandzukic pounces to beat Jordan Pickford and blast Croatia through to their
first ever World Cup final
Full blast: Mario Mandzukic pounces to beat Jordan Pickford and blast Croatia through to their first ever World Cup final
 ??  ??
 ??  ?? All square: Ivan Perisic scores, despite Kyle Walker’s presence, to cancel out England’s advantage
All square: Ivan Perisic scores, despite Kyle Walker’s presence, to cancel out England’s advantage

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