A Step Closer to the Alps

The Croatian football team beat Macedonia 2-1 with Da Silva’s and Srna’s goals in the second half.

Maksimir Stadium 

30,000 spectators

Croatia: Pletikosa 5,5, Corluka 6, Simic 6,5, Simunic 6,5, Babic 6, Rapaic 6 (od 46. Srna 8), N. Kovac 6,5, Modric 6, Kranjcar 6,5, Balaban 5,5 (od 80. Budan -), Eduardo 7

Macedonia: Nikoloski 5,5, Noveski 5,5, Popov 6, Sedloski 5,5, Vasoski 6, Mitreski 5,5 (od 78. Jancevski -), Sumulikoski 5,5, Maznov 6 (od 72. Vajs), Naumoski 6 (od 60. Tasevski), Lazarevski 5,5, Pandev 6

Yellow cards: Sedloski 7', Sumulikoski 45', Naumoski 45', Pandev 66'

Red cards: Sedloski 67' (second yellow)

Shooters: 0-1 Sedloski 36', 1-1 Srna 58', 2-1 Eduardo 88'

Player of the game: Darijo Srna

In front of approximately 30,000 people, Bilic’s boys achieved three very valuable points on the way to the European championships, thanks to goals from Da Silva and Srna in the second half of the game with Macedonia. The entry of Darijo Srna instead of Miki Rapaic showed to be crucial at the beginning of the second half, as did the ousting of Sedloski 20 minutes before the end.

From the start Croatian players dominated the field, but failed to use their opportunities. In the seventh minute Goce Sedloski gets rough and stops Niko Kranjcar at 20 metres from his own goal. Referee Plautzs awards him with a yellow card. Bosko Balaban made his move poorly, after which the battle in the middle of the field continued. Eight minutes after Balaban’s attempt Miki Rapaic tried to score, but was imprecise at 30 metres. The 19^th minute brought a real opportunity for the Macedonians. Naumoski god a cornet shot with Pletikosa saving the Croatian’s goal. Macedonia then starts opening up. Luka Modric tried to use this, but nobody follows his intentions. In the 22^nd minute Sumulikoski falls in the Croatian’s foul space, but the Austrian referee does not react. The first true opportunity for the Croatians arises in the 26^th minute. After a bounce-ball, Marko Babic takes the ball at 18 metres are enters Macedonian space, from which he shoots and strikes the goal-post. Rapaic gets the ball, but shoots over the goal. Goce Sedloski shoots beneath the Croatian defence and surprises Pletikosa who reacted badly. The ball bounced off him and ended up in the goal. By the end of the half-time, the Croatians put all efforts into attacks, but to no avail.

Bilic started the second half time with only one change. Instead of Miki Rapaic he introduced Darijo Srna, which awakened the team. The Croatians started playing more aggressively from the beginning, but failed to achieve results. In the 51^st minute there was yet another dubious situation in the penalty area of the Macedonians, Kranjcar falls, but the Austrian remains mum. Only four minutes later Eduardo passes three Macedonians, but the third tackled him. Plautz again remains mum. In the 58^th minute the Macedonians tackle Simic on the verge of 16 metres, which marked danger for the Macedonians. Srna sets the ball and shoots it towards the other corner. Nikoloski followed the ball with his eyes, although he admitted he could have reacted better. The Macedonians then retreat to their half of the field, but Croatians, carried by the support from the stands, start with their offensive. The crucial moment of the game happened in the 68^th minute when Sedloski roughly stops Srna. Plautz gives him his second yellow card and the best defence player had to go. After that the Croatians went for all or nothing. The Macedonians could not calm the ball, but just kept shooting it towards Pandev. In the 80^th minute Bilic changes Balaban for Budan who started celebrating in the 85^th minute, but not for long. The Austrian referees noticed his offside and annulled his goal. Several minutes later Srna shoots a hard ball to the centre, meeting Da Silva who scores for a 2-1 lead. The stadium erupted and the Macedonians could not believe what had occurred. Until the end of the game the Croatians stalled and celebrated their 2-1. With this victory the Croatians kept their lead on the list with two points ahead of Russia.

Srecko Katanec, Macedonian coach: “Congratulations to Croatia for their deserved victory. I think we gave a very good opponent the run-around, but in the end, Croatia was better, especially in the second half when we dropped. I think that the referee criteria were ridiculous, strikes against one team and none against the other, but this does not belittle Croatia’s victory. In the second half we did not continue with our game, we allowed the home team to take the initiative. Had we held on to the ball longer, perhaps everything would have been different. Lastly, I would like to wish Ivica Klasnic a fast recovery and return to the field”.

Slaven Bilic, Croatia’s coach: “I wish to congratulate my players, this is their victory, and to thank the spectators for their support. We entered the game with too much passion, we used up much strength trying to reach their goal as soon as possible and we made a mistake there. We received a silly goal. At half time we agreed to play with more patience, slower, and the efforts paid off. Srna turned the game around and that was the plan because he has the power to change the rhythm of the game from the bench and give our play another dimension. I knew we would be creating opportunities, but I must admit that until the ousting of Sedloski I feared their counter attacks and half-counter attacks. After the red card everything went in one direction. This is a great victory because Macedonia is a very good team and, apart from a good game in the second half, we also showed great character. Although it is not over yet, we are really in an excellent position in the group, but we must take every next game very seriously”.

Macedonia’s coach, Srecko Katanec, was insulted by the reaction of our bench after the Croatian second goal. After Eduardo scored, Robert Prosinecki spat towards the opponents’ bench, which angered the Macedonians. “I think they went too far, such conduct does them no credit. It is not right to offend the opponent, especially people who sat on the bench for a long time. I too am nervous on the bench and jump up all the time, but I never insult others,” Katanec was disappointed. Slaven Bilic was surprised by the reaction of the Macedonian coach and defended his colleagues. “I apologise on behalf of our expert team if we offended them, but we were no more impulsive than they were. They jumped more than we did, especially to referee decisions. For Prosinecki I can only say that he is one of the most beautiful people walking the Earth”, Bilic concluded.