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SteemSports Editor:
It was an agonizing defeat for England, their fans and the English media; as Croatia broke so many English hearts with an extra time goal coming from the boots of the very sublime Juventus striker, Mario Mandzukic to seal a 2 – 1 win for Croatia.
The win for Croatia sends them to their first ever final of the FIFA World Cup; twenty years after getting to the semi-final stage in France 1998, on their very debut in the World Cup.
The loss for England denied them the opportunity of reaching the final of the competition they won for the first and only time back in 1966 when they hosted the World Cup.
With a vibrant and young English side, a lot of faith and hopes rested on this generation of English stars to go the extra mile and re-write English football history, but it wasn’t to be for the three-lions; as they are fondly called.
Experienced counted for a very patient and resolute Croatian side, who had to dig deep to the extra drive and motivation to come from a goal down very early in the game to eventually outclass England and wrap the game up in the very late stages of extra time.
Line-up
Croatia: Subasic; Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Strinic; Rakitic, Brozovic, Rebic, Modric, Perisic; Mandzukic.
England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Alli, Henderson, Lingard, Young; Sterling, Kane.
Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey).
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium
Attendance: 78,011
Scoreline: Croatia 2 – 1 England
England started the quicker of the two teams, perhaps because of a much tired Croatian side who had played back-to-back extra time games in the last-16 and Quarter-final games. But it was the dream start for England, because after just 5 minutes, Kieran Trippier slammed a superb free-kick past a helpless Subasic, for England’s goal.
When they had chances upon chances England failed to repeatedly make them count. A normally clinical Harry Kane had his touches desert him at critical moments. As the half wore on, Kane missed a chance to increase England advantage, and Jesse Lingard shot wide when he should have done better.
Experience and patience were the virtues that really counted for the Croatia side. And as England allowed their momentum after the lead slip from them, Croatia gradually began to come into the game.
In the second half Croatia grew in confidence and began dominate the game. England finally paid for missed chances in the first half, when Perisic stole ahead of Kyle Walker to reach for a ball and score with a neat athletic strike in the 68th minute.
After Croatia’s equalizer, England’s attacking momentum dropped and they briefly lost their attacking edge. Harry Kane and Sterling were largely missing in action for long spells, and Croatia with the attacking quartet of Perisic, Mandzukic, Rebic, and Brozovic piled the pressure.
With Modric orchestrating things from the center, Perisic had a shot come off the post. And Jordan Pickford saved brilliantly from Mandzukic, largely keeping England in the game. England rode of the full time, but evidently struggled to keep their attacking threat up, during extra time, despite the having the likes of Marcus Rashford, Jamie Vardy, Jesse Lingard and Harry Kane upfront.
The Juventus striker sealed the win for Croatia in the 109th minute after reacting quicker than John Stones to coolly slot home a finish past Jordan Pickford to make it 2 – 1 for Croatia, after receiving a brilliant flick-on from the tireless Ivan Perisic, in the England’s box.
The England players struggled to muster some form of attacking drive, to seek out an equalizer, with a little over 11 minutes left to play in the game after Croatia’s second goal, but they had given all they could, and Croatia held on for a history win for the small European nation.
There were uncontrollable tears for so many of the England lads as their dream of making history was snatched by a very patient and experienced Croatian side who go on to face France in the final of the Russia 2018 World Cup on Sunday in Moscow.
England would console themselves with the fact they despite being an unfancied side coming to the tournament, they beat the odds to reach the semi-final and would have a chance at a replay against Belgium in the third and fourth-place match play-off in St Petersburg on Saturday, having lost 1 – 0 to the same Belgium in the group stages.
But for Croatia it turns out to be a historic moment in their football history, as the present generation of Croatian talents eclipsed the record of the 1998 set who debuted in the France ‘98 World Cup. And with the ageless Luka Modric still pushing this Croatian team toward glory, they would hope that they can eventually write their names in gold when they come up against the France on Sunday.
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