HEROIC SCOTS SEAL VITAL POINT AT WEMBLEY
Inside: Match report, reaction and player ratings
Croatia 1 Czech Republic 1
APOINT was earned by both, but it will feel like two dropped by the respective camps. Time will tell how significant this result proves for Croatia and the Czech Republic.
A section that always looked like going the distance will be decided on matchday three. Croatia, of course, are back at Hampden, while the Czechs make the trip to Wembley.
Once the final standings in Group D have been decided, both nations will reflect on this occasion and ponder. This was a match that was there to be won but a Patrick Schick penalty and strike from Ivan Perisic ensured the spoils were shared.
In the end, that outcome was probably fair. Had either manager been on the losing side, they would have had reason to feel aggrieved but this was undoubtedly an opportunity missed.
That was arguably the theme of the evening. The finishes from Schick and Perisic were emphatic, but neither side showed enough nous in the final third to ensure that they emerged victorious and the chances created were spurned.
Given the quality, or lack of, in front of goal in the first half, there was always a fair chance it would take a moment of magic or madness to break the deadlock. It was referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande who stepped forward to make an unfathomable decision and change the course of the occasion.
It would be easy to apportion the blame at the VAR system, but the use of the screen at the side of the park wasn’t the issue here. If an official makes a wrong call, it is irrelevant how that outcome is reached and technology was not the culprit.
An aerial duel between Schick and Dejan Lovren seemed innocuous enough and only took a more serious turn when it became clear that the striker had a bloody nose following a coming together with the Zenit St Petersburg defender. Del Cerro Grande was about to make a big mistake.
Lovren’s protestations seemed fair and he would make the point that he had to use his arms for leverage in an attempt to battle for the ball. If there was intent to catch Schick, the Croat certainly did well to hide it.
As Luka Modric took up his case and was waved away, Schick composed himself. The flow of blood had been stopped, to an extent, and he would have one final wipe of his face before sending Dominik Livakovic the wrong way with a cool, composed penalty.
Schick had risen to prominence in Italy and Germany in recent years courtesy of impressive spells with Sampdoria and Roma and then RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen. His third goal of the tournament was further evidence of his prodigious talent as well as his importance to his country.
He would be attended to again as Croatia restarted play. The blood had been cleared from his nose, but nothing would wipe away the smile as the Czechs went in ahead at the break.
The only frustration would have been that they hadn’t found the net before Schick converted from the spot.
Tomas Soucek came close with an early header, while Jakub Jankto should have done better at the back post after Lovren flicked a Vladimir Coufal cross into his path. His reaction may have been somewhat exaggerated, but he knew it was a clear chance.
The same could be said for a couple of those that Croatia created. Given their technical ability on the ball, it has been hard to fathom why they had shown such a lack of cutting edge in front of goal.
Ante Rebic was the culprit at Wembley as he spurned their best chance during the defeat to England and he was culpable here, blazing high and wide with his first sight of goal after Schick had shown such composure at the other end. It was no surprise to see him replaced by Bruno Petkovic at the break.
A neat corner routine that ended with Perisic’s shot being saved by Tomas Vaclik and a tame effort from Andrej Kramaric summed up Croatia’s half. They were close, but not close enough and were so far failing to live up to their billing at the Euros.
Within seconds of the restart, they found their range. Kramaric was rewarded for his vision and quick free-kick with an assist but the goal was all about Perisic as he stepped inside from the left, saw Coufal stumble and then rifled an effort beyond Vaclik.
It was a touch of class from an accomplished operator. A 29th international goal – as he became the first Croatian to score at four major tournaments – had given his side a foothold in this encounter. Croatia needed a winner, though.
Luka Ivanusec – who fired harmlessly over target from distance – had been introduced alongside Petkovic at the break and Nikola Vlasic would follow. Indeed, it was he who spurned Croatia’s next opening as he fired over from 12 yards.
The opportunities thereafter were half-chanced rather than gilt-edged... and all missed.
Both teams will rue their profligacy in the coming days. It is only after their next 90 minutes they will know the true cost of it.