Sweet dreams for Croatia
CROATIA were in dreamland yesterday after advancing to the knockout phase of the World Cup for the first time in 20 years with a 3-0 rout of Argentina that left a subdued Lionel Messi and his teammates facing yet another flop.
The emphatic Group D victory at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium yesterday ensured Croatia became the fourth country to reach the second round of the tournament and condemned twice champions Argentina to an anxious next five days as they await their fate.
Croatia are top of the group with six points, while Argentina have just one point from their two games. Iceland, also with one, and Nigeria, yet to open their account, meet in Volgograd today in the second group game for both sides.
Messi was again largely anonymous as Croatia kept him out of the game while, at the same time, taking all their opportunities to ensure a joyful triumph in front of 43 319 spectators at the picturesque stadium on the banks of the Volga.
The win thanks to goals from Ante Rrebic, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic followed a 2-0 success against Nigeria in their opening game at the weekend and was a reminder of the quality of a team who attracted little attention before the finals.
The last time Croatia reached the World Cup knockout phase was in 1998 when they finished the tournament in third place.
Croatia had the good fortune of a goalkeeping blunder that presented them with the lead in the second half, but pressed home the advantage to add two more well-worked goals as Argentina suffered their heaviest first round group defeat in 60 years.
“The most important objective was achieved. We are ecstatic over it,” said captain Luka Modric, author of a superb strike for the second goal which effectively wrapped up the result
“Our collective game, particularly in the second half, was excellent. We cut off Messi, we stopped him receiving the ball.”
For Messi, who will be 31 on Sunday, the spectre of failing again to win a major title with Argentina looms large in what is almost certainly his last tournament with the national team.
It could be over as early as next Tuesday when Argentina complete their group campaign against Nigeria in St Petersburg.
“Leo is prejudiced by not having in us, drivers as good as him. We, as the drivers, have to take responsibility,” said coach Jorge Sampaoli.
“There’s a minimal possibility of qualifying. There is shame and pain at not delivering for the Argentine people.”
France coach Didier Deschamps hailed young striker Kylian Mbappe for his decisive contribution in the 1-0 victory over Peru in Yekaterinburg that enabled them to progress from Group C into the last 16 of the World Cup yesterday.
Mbappe, 19, became France’s youngest scorer at a World Cup, prodding into an empty net on 34 minutes. He did not shirk his defensive duties either, providing extra cover in a tough second half as Peru attacked relentlessly.
“He’s got great qualities and he was able to show his pace today. I don’t think he sacrificed himself by defending. He just did what the team needed him to do. I’m very happy with his performance today,” Deschamps said.
Midfielder Blaise Matuidi, who came into the side in place of Corentin Tolisso, said France had done well against a Peru team lifted by their massed vociferous support in the stands.
“The opponents did what they needed to put us in difficulty. They were urged on by fantastic support and we felt like we were playing away. But in our weaker periods, we were still solid.”
Victory leaves France on top of the group with six points while Denmark and Australia are on four and one respectively after their 1-1 draw earlier in the day.
Peru grew in confidence in the second half as they chased an equaliser, but the South Amer- icans could not find a way past France’s well-marshalled backline.
“We did what was necessary to win… our game was fluid in the first half, but things were a lot tougher in the second,” Deschamps added.
A draw against Denmark in their final match is enough for Les Bleus to finish as group winners, but the former France international midfielder said his team had only one objective. “We will try to win.”
AMARA: Captain Mile Jedinak rode to Australia’s World Cup rescue with a penalty to cancel out Christian Eriksen’s superb opener for Denmark, securing a 1-1 draw yesterday that ensured Group C would go down to the wire.
Eriksen’s seventh- minute opener was fully deserved by the fast-starting Danes and the quality of his half-volley finish was excellent in a tournament that has produced some wonderful goals.
Jedinak, however, got Australia back into the game with his second penalty in Russia, awarded following the intervention of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), and the draw kept the Socceroos alive in the tournament.
Denmark moved on to four points and need at least a draw against France in their final game to guarantee a last-16 spot, while Australia, with one point, must win their last match against Peru to stand any chance of going through.
Reinforcement
After their opening defeat by France, Australia coach Bert van Marwijk resisted the temptation to draft in attacking reinforcements, leaving veteran forward Tim Cahill on the bench for the second match in a row.
It looked a bad decision in the early stages as Australia laboured up front and the Danes tore into their opponents at a furious pace.
Aaron Mooy’s poor clearance was immediately returned into the area.
Nicolai Jorgensen controlled and cleverly flicked the ball inside to Eriksen, who ghosted into space and lashed a sweet half-volley on the rise which flew high into the net.
It was Eriksen’s 13th goal in his last 15 appearances for his country and underlined the pivotal importance of the Tottenham Hotspur playmaker to the otherwise workmanlike Danes.
They should have doubled their advantage when Jorgensen flashed a header wide at the near post as Australia looked ragged at the back and toothless up front.
Yet just as in their opening game, Australia were handed a route back into the match from the penalty spot, thanks to the intervention of the VAR.
Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz had failed to spot that Mathew Leckie’s header had struck the arm of Yussuf Poulsen, but after being alerted to the incident by the VAR, he pointed to the spot.
Danish keeper Kasper Schmeichel had not conceded for 571 minutes, but Jedinak calmly rolled home his penalty in the 38th minute to level the scores.
Having clawed their way back into the game, Australia seemed imbued with a renewed sense of belief, surging forward in numbers whenever they could and roared on by the vast array of green and gold clad fans in the Samara Arena.
They could not turn that impetus, however, into clear chances.
After Denmark’s Pione Sisto put a good opportunity wide, Australia gradually got on top, but the nearest they came to a winner was when Leckie’s cross was turned over his own goal by Henrik Dalsgaard, and Mooy blasted over from distance.
Second-half substitute Daniel Arzani brought an additional spark to the Australia attack and had a good shot parried by Schmeichel at the death while Leckie tested the Danish keeper with a hooked effort. – Reuters