Mystery shrouds striker’s dismissal
Banishing star player after opening game could come back to haunt Croatian coach
SAINT PETERSBURG The confusing dismissal of Nikola Kalinic is even more relevant now that Croatia is in the World Cup final.
Croatia’s 30-year-old striker was sent packing following Croatia’s opening win over Nigeria when coach Zlatko Dalic said his player refused to enter as a second half substitute.
At the time, Dalic explained banishing Kalinic from the tournament.
“During the Nigeria encounter, Kalinic was warming up and was supposed to come on in the second half,” Dalic said in a statement, according to Reuters.
“However, he then stated that he wasn’t ready to come on due to a back issue. The same thing happened during the Brazil friendly in England, as well as before the practice session on Sunday.
“I have calmly accepted that, and since I need my players fit and ready to play, I have made this decision.”
The Independent reported last month that Croatia’s medical staff didn’t believe the embattled Milan striker was injured.
Either way, the decision to send an injured player home seemed rash, given World Cup teams can’t replace players during the tournament. Most injured players remain with their sides to either rehabilitate or take in the tournament.
There has to be more than meets the eye to a story that’s set to end with Kalinic watching from home instead of the touch line at a major final.
THE FINAL OFFICIAL
Argentinian referee Nestor Pitana — the Ed Hochuli of soccer — has been handed the whistle for Sunday’s World Cup final.
Pitana, 43, is set to take charge of his fifth match at this World Cup after refereeing two group stage fixtures, including the opening match, a Round of 16 game and a quarter-final between France and Uruguay.
Pitana is the second Argentinian to referee a World Cup final after Horacio Elizondo in 2006.
The physical education teacher also oversaw four matches at the 2014 World Cup, including a group stage tie between the United States and Portugal.
FIFA also revealed Thursday that Iranian Alireza Fahgani will referee the third-place match.
THINGS I’M THINKING
It’s quite eye-opening to watch Croatia, a country of just 4.3 million, qualify for a World Cup final.
Iceland advancing to the quarter-finals of the 2016 European Championship drew the same reaction.
But please cease the bizarre comparisons between Croatia and other, more sizable countries.
A nation’s population has almost nothing to do with reaching or even advancing at a World Cup.
It would be like arguing Germany should be better than Canada at hockey because its population is three times that of the Great White North.
No, Canada’s good at hockey because it’s ingrained in our culture. We have world class hockey facilities and elite coaching and endless opportunities to play professionally in North America.
Population comparisons are fun and cute, but are misleading to those who don’t understand the development of soccer in Canada.
BY THE NUMBERS
Most goals scored at this World Cup: Belgium (14) … Fewest goals scored: 12 teams with two goals … Most goals conceded: Panama (11) … Fewest goals conceded: Denmark, Iran, Peru (2) … There have been 61 goals scored in the first half of games at this tournament compared to 97 after the break … 20 per cent of the goals scored at this World Cup were scored within the final 10 minutes of regular time … Current Golden Boot leader: Harry Kane (6) … Fastest goal scored: Denmark’s Mathias Jorgensen (55 seconds) … There have been just four red cards handed out at this World Cup … The most frequent result at this World Cup: 1-0 (15 times).
ALL TESTS NEGATIVE
Soccer’s governing body revealed Thursday the analyses of all doping tests conducted before and during the World Cup have, so far, yielded negative results.
The report comes weeks after suspicion was raised over Russia’s performance at this tournament, with some arguing there was little explanation for Russian players’ peak physical condition and success at this World Cup.
To show how stringent testing has been, FIFA offered the following example.
“On average, every player from the four remaining teams (Belgium, England, Croatia and France) has been tested 4.41 times since January, with some of them tested eight times,” FIFA said.
Every collected sample will be stored for 10 years following the tournament.
He wasn’t ready to come onduetoa back issue . ... I have calmly accepted that, and since I need my players fit and ready to play, I have made this decision.
ON THIS DAY …
In 1930, Montevideo, Uruguay, hosted the first matches of the inaugural FIFA World Cup — France vs. Mexico and U.S. vs. Belgium.
Frenchman Lucien Laurent scored the first goal in World Cup history.