Croatia will face Armenia in their final group stage match of the Euro qualifiers on Tuesday at Maksimir. The winner will secure a place in Germany next year, while Wales’ loss to Turkey could see Croatia go directly to the Euros without having to play against Armenia.
Tomislav Ivković, HRT’s expert commentator, analyzed Croatia’s last match against Latvia, which they won 2-0 in cold Riga. The victory was crucial as it put Croatia in a commanding 3-1 lead over Wales and added pressure on them to win the final match against Armenia.
The team was highly motivated and disciplined, with Dalić on his toes and everyone focused on the task at hand. They had the knowledge and experience to take advantage of their opponents’ mistakes, scoring two quick goals that left Latvia struggling to keep up. Despite having a poor pitch, Croatia controlled the game and didn’t give their opponents any chances.
Ivković praised Modrić’s performance in the match, particularly his goal that brought Croatia’s lead to 2-0. He also noted how Brozović and Modrić played together tactically intelligently and prevented any possible counterattacks by not going forward at the same time.
Andrej Kramarić brought back a lot for Croatia with his contribution from midfield, while Joško Guardiol played well as a left back despite being more comfortable in City playing like a third stopper and playmaker. Marco Pašalić made his debut against Latvia and impressed with his control of the ball, while Martin Baturina got his first taste of international action by replacing Modrić for the second half.