Croatia will now face Argentina at successive World Cups after sealing a semi-final at Qatar 2022. So, HITC Football looks back to Russia 2018 where Vatreni beat La Albiceleste 3-0.
FIFA drew Croatia and Argentina with Nigeria and Iceland in Group D four years ago. Yet it would not be the two-time World Cup champions who triumphed in Nizhny Novgorod. But rather a Vatreni team managed by Zlatko Dalic, who is again at the helm for their 2022 bid.
Dalic has overseen the Croatia team since October 2017 and brought out their potential on the World Cup stage four years ago. Their win over Argentina in Group D capped Vatreni’s commanding first round before going on to reach the final with a string of gutsy displays.
Croatia to face Argentina at successive World Cups after their 2018 win
It has not been as appealing on the eye at Qatar 2022 for Croatia as it was at Russia 2018. But Dalic’s side are back in the last four at a World Cup and stand, potentially, 90 minutes from another final. Croatia had only made the knockouts once in their prior appearances.
Vatreni are also again showing you can never write them off at a World Cup under Dalic at Qatar 2022. After coming through penalty shootouts with Denmark and Russia plus extra time against England in 2018, they have eliminated Japan and Brazil on penalties in 2022.
Only Canada have lost to Croatia in normal or extra time at Qatar 2022 so far. Vatreni held Morocco and Belgium to goalless draws either side of beating the Maple Leafs in Group F. They also held Japan and Brazil to 1-1 and 0-0 draws during normal time in the knockouts.
Brazil eventually broke Croatia’s resolve in the 105th minute through Neymar. But Vatreni responded through Bruno Petkovic in the 117th minute with their only shot on target. The shootout then saw Croatia hold their nerve, again, after sending Japan home on penalties.
Dalic is unlikely to now ditch the system that has led Vatreni back to the semi-finals of the FIFA tournament. But Croatia showed their attacking potential to beat Argentina at Russia 2018 and will hope to repeat their result at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on December 13.
Willy Caballero caused Argentine anguish against Vatreni at Russia 2018
Argentina goalkeeper Willy Caballero helped Croatia cause La Albiceleste pain at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The former Manchester City and Chelsea stopper produced an error-strewn showing in Nizhny Novgorod. A performance that Lionel Messi could not overcome.
Messi strived to rally his South American teammates with substitutes Gonzalo Higuain and Pablo Dybala. But after the forward’s tepid first-half display, Caballero’s error delivered the most telling impact by an Albiceleste player when he gifted Ante Rebic Vatreni’s first goal.
Croatia were hardly a dominant threat during a cagey first half, either. Yet the best efforts to score came from Dalic’s side. Ivan Perisic, Mario Mandzukic and Rebic all probed whilst Luka Modric pulled the strings. Caballero then gave Vatreni their opening on 53 minutes.
Gabriel Mercado played a simple pass back to the goalkeeper under pressure from Rebic in Argentina’s area. Yet rather than boot the ball clear or pass it out to Nicolas Otamendi, the now-Southampton man tried to chip Rebic but failed horribly and let the forward volley in.
Rebic refused to waste Caballero’s gift and punished the five-cap stopper with a superbly timed strike. It was not necessarily enough to win the match, though, and Vatreni dug in deep. Dalic’s side produced yet another dogged defensive display on a World Cup stage.
Modric lit up Vatreni’s win over La Albiceleste in the closing stages
Argentina struggled to break down the walls Croatia built defending their goal as the game edged towards a finish. It would also be the Man of the Match, Modric, who would light up the closing stages. The Real Madrid star put Vatreni two goals clear with a classy late goal.
Modric received the ball from Marcelo Brozovic 25 yards from goal, shaped to shoot and deceived Otamendi. A quick cut in one direction and then the other gave the midfielder a yard of space and Modric unleashed an arrow into the net beyond the helpless Caballero.
Ivan Rakitic would then secure Croatia’s win over Argentina at the 2018 World Cup in the first minute of stoppage time. Andrej Kramaric moved the ball onto the midfielder around the centre circle but no Albiceleste player got close as he strode up to the edge of the box.
Caballero would initially deny Rakitic but the ball fell to Mateo Kovacic, who wisely played it back to his teammate. Rakitic would not miss his second chance as he stroked the ball in from six yards as Marcos Acuna tried in vain to defend Argentina’s otherwise empty goal.
Beating Argentina 3-0 helped Croatia top Group D at the 2018 World Cup and, in the end, the final in Russia. Now, La Albiceleste stand directly in Vatreni’s route to the final at Qatar 2022 in a semi-final that Dalic’s defence secured for a country of only four million people.
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