More extra-time drama
Croatia overcomes England to reach the World Cup Final!
11.07.2018.
Photo by: Drago Sopta/HNS
With an extra-time victory over England (2:1), Croatia secured the World Cup Final berth for the first time in history!
CROATIA - ENGLAND 2:1 (1:1, 0:1)
2018 FIFA World Cup, semifinals.
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.
Referee: C. Cakir (Turkey)
Goals: 0:1 - Trippier (5'), 1:1 - Perišić (68'), 2:1 - Mandžukić (109')
Cautions: Mandžukić (48'), Walker (54'), Rebić (96')
Croatia: Subašić, Strinić (95' Pivarić), Vida, Lovren, Vrsaljko, Brozović, Rakitić, Perišić, Modrić (119' Badelj), Rebić (101' Kramarić), Mandžukić (115' Ćorluka). Head coach: Z. Dalić.
England: Pickford, Walker (112' Vardy), Maguire, Stones, Young (91' Rose), Lingard, Henderson (97' Dier), Alli, Trippier, Sterling (74' Rashford), Kane. Head coach: G. Southgate.
Foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
Croatia national football team reached the 2018 FIFA World Cup final! In the semifinal match against England, Croatia won 2:1 after extra-time and meets France to decide the title.
England, however, took the lead early on. With five minutes played, Trippier scored brilliantly from a free-kick, in the top right corner.
Before the break, Perišić and Rebić tried to score from distance, while England had promising opportunites for Kane and Lingard. Even when the play resumed, Croatia did not manage to unlock the English defence.
On 68 minutes, though, Vrsaljko crossed to Perišić, who reacted quickly to beat his defender and put the ball in the back of the net (1:1).
Foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
This gave more wings to Zlatko Dalić's men, who took control of the game, with Perišić hitting the woodwoork, Pickford saving Mandžukić's effort, and Perišić missing the target.
It was another extra-time for Croatia, third in three World Cup second round matches. And after Vrsaljko cleared Stones' header off the line, and Pickford repeatedly intervened to stop Mandžukić, the winning goal finally came on 109 minutes.
Foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
Perišić headed a rebound in the box towards Mandžukić, who kept a cool head to beat Pickford and secure Croatia's place in the final (2:1).
The World Cup Final is scheduled on Sunday, 15 July at 17:00 CET, at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Vatreni, congratulations!
Foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
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