On Sunday, Croatia took on Russia in a group final in Group H at Poljud Stadium in a questionable Split.
The match was directly decisive for which of the countries would pinch the group victory and thus the direct place to the World Cup in Qatar 2022. Before the match, Russia led the group on 22 points, while Croatia blew them in the neck in second place with 20 points. Croatia needed victory, Russia needed at least one cross.
When the match started, it was the home team that took the baton at once. Croatia dominated ball possession, with Luka Modrić leading the way. Andrej Kramarić and Ivan Perišić threatened to advance, where Kramarić was closest to scoring after nine minutes with a nod from close range – but Matvej Safonov provided an impressive reflex save in the Russian goal.
Croatia then continued to threaten thereafter. A corner kick created great disorder in the penalty area with a goal nearly scored by Marcelo Brozović. However, Safonov made a spectacular save.
But despite several good positions for Croatia, mainly, the match remained goalless into the half.
In the second half, Croatia started where they finished in the first. After a short tussle with the defender, Mario Pašalić finally tucked the ball home. However, Safonov made a spectacular save.
However, it was a bit surprising that the match had to continue to be played during the second half given the water level on the pitch. The ball bounced badly and it splashed water as soon as the players took a run or kicked the ball. Both Croatia and Russia had difficulty controlling planning conditions.
But something decisive would not come until ten minutes from the final signal, and it was a decision that the Russian hill Fyodor Kudryashov would rather forget immediately. On a post from Borna Sosa, Kudrashov stumbled into the ball in his own goal when he came running to cover the far post. Thus, Croatia went up in the group lead and took control of the direct place to the World Cup.
– He completely misjudges it, said C More’s commentator Adam Pinthorp in the broadcast.
1-0 stood out since the match and Croatia is on to the World Cup as group leader. Russia, in turn, will have to play the playoffs to get to the World Cup. Heavy for Russia, who before the match led and were on to the World Cup as group leader with a 0-0 result – but in the end they stumbled on the finish line and fell due to an own goal.
Startelvor:
Croatia: Ivo Grbić – Josip Juranović, Dejan Lovren, Joško Gvardiol, Borna Sosa – Luka Modrić, Marcelo Brozović, Mario Pašalić – Nikola Vlašić, Andrej Kramarić, Ivan Perišić.
Russia: Matvey Safonov – Vyacheslav Karavaev, Igor Diveyev, Georgy Dzhikia, Fyodor Kudryasjov – Daniil Fomin, Dmitry Barinov, Alexander Golovin – Alexey Ionov, Fyodor Smolov, Zelimchan Bakayev.
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