As 1-0s go, Croatia’s victory over Turkey on Sunday was pretty emphatic. Turkey were poor, surprisingly stodgy given their impressive end to the qualifying tournament, but there was plenty to admire from Croatia, even if they ended up killing the game with time-wasting rather than trusting in their ability. Still, hitting the woodwork twice and having 19 chances to nine represents significant superiority.
Although there are major doubts about Croatia’s coach Ante Cacic, who essentially got the job because of his connection to Zdravko Mamic, the president of Dinamo Zagreb and the puppet-master of Croatian football, he is blessed with a highly gifted midfield. That made it slightly surprising that Croatia’s game plan, at least in the first half, seemed based almost entirely on working the ball wide and getting crosses into the box.
That may be a way of getting the best out of the hulking centre-forward Mario Mandzukic, but it seems a strange waste of playmakers as gifted as Modric and Ivan Rakitic. If it was a one-off, designed to by-pass a congested centre of midfield, perhaps it made some sense but it’s how they’ve played throughout the qualifiers. Here they put in 15 crosses, five of them from Darijo Srna, who overlapped energetically from right-back despite now being 34. Mandzukic won five aerials, while Ivan Perisic, drifting in from the left flank won four, as well as guiding a headed attempt against the bar.
But it was in the second half, when the midfield began to play, that Croatia looked at their most dangerous, even if the goal came from a slightly freakish Luka Modric volley in the first half. “This was one of his best matches in Croatian history, he was really playing well, he was really our leader,” said Cacic. “He scored this magical goal, and at the end it was the only goal. So we need Luka in this form because all the team looks different, looks better, looks more aggressive.”
The goal came from Modric’s only shot, but he also completed 88.1% of his passes, two of which were key. He ran the game. His 76 touches were almost 50% more than any other Croatian midfielder. But he also made three tackles and four interceptions, showing how good he is at regaining possession, a part of his game that is often overlooked.
Croatia have struggled with the composition of their midfield almost since Niko Kovac retired in 2008 but perhaps in Milan Badelj they have found the answer. The Fiorentina midfielder made three tackles and four clearances, offering Modric enough support that he can push forwards. That leaves Ivan Rakitic to operate behind Mandzukic. The Barcelona man had a relatively quite game, but still completed 87.1% of his 31 passes, four of which were key.
“The atmosphere in the team, even before match, it was great,” Modric said. “We are really self-confident, from the first to last player, I think we have shown this on the pitch. Croatia played really aggressive, lots of ball possession, lots of passes. We stood on pitch really tough, played like a big national team. We are a big team and we showed this.”
They did, but they really should have won more easily. It’s hard to know whether they should be criticised for their profligacy or praised for the fact they controlled the game so well. Despite Modric’s claims, they actually had slightly under half the possession – but so much more effective were they than Turkey that it did feel as though they had more.
The win means a point from their two remaining games will almost certainly guarantee Croatia their place in the last 16 but, after a performance like that, they will have realistic ambitions of going much further.
How far can Croatia go if Modric continues to play at his best? Let us know in the comments below
