Croatia comeback
Barišić and Kramarić crush Azerbaijani hopes
21.03.2019.
Photo by: Drago Sopta/HNS
Croatia national football team managed to score first points on the road towards EURO 2020, even though the visitors from Azerbaijan took the lead.
CROATIA - AZERBAIJAN 2:1 (1:1)
EURO 2020 qualifier, Group E.
Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb.
Referee: G. Kabakov (Bulgaria)
Goals: 0:1 - Sheydaev (19'), 1:1 - Barišić (44'), 2:1 - Kramarić (79')
Cautions: Medvedev (68')
Croatia: Kalinić, Barišić, Vida, Ćaleta-Car, Brekalo, Kovačić (73' Vlašić), Modrić (90+2' Badelj), Perišić, Rakitić, Kramarić, Petković (69' Rebić). Head coach: Z. Dalić.
Azerbaijan: Agayev, Rahimov, Huseynov, Mammadov, Medvedev, Garayev (88' Dadasov), Nazarov (58' Abdullayev), Almeida (73' Makhmudov), Eddy, Madatov, Sheydaev. Head coach: N. Jurčević.
FIFA World Cup runners-up have opened their EURO 2020 qualifying campaign with a win, defeating Azerbaijan in Zagreb 2:1.
As expected, Croatia dominated the possession, chances, and corners. However, the visitors managed to threaten twice from counterattacks: Kalinić saved the first Sheydaev's effort, while Azerbaijani striker found the net on 19 minutes.
Rakitić and Modrić tried with long-range efforts, and Zlatko Dalić's men put more pressure on the opponents in the closing minutes of the first half. On 44 minutes, Ćaleta-Car's header was blocked on the goal-line, and Barišić poked it in to equalize.
Following the break, Aghayev and woodwork managed to stop a curling Modrić's shot, with Brekalo, Perišić, Rakitić, and Petković all failed to find the target.
A little over ten minutes from time, Kramarić found some space on the left side of the box, and curled the ball in to give Croatia a deserved victory.
Simultaneously, Slovakia defeated Hungary 2:0 on home turf, with the Vatreni visiting Budapest in three days' time.
EURO 2020 qualifying, Group E:
1. Slovakia 3 (1)
2. Croatia 3 (1)
3. Wales 0 (0)
4. Azerbaijan 0 (1)
5. Hungary 0 (1)
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