National Teams

Another Croatia win in European Qualifiers

Nikola Kalinić
breaks down Ukraine
resistance in Zagreb

24.03.2017.
Nikola Kalinić breaks down Ukraine resistance in Zagreb
photo by: Drago Sopta/HNS
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On Friday, Croatia national football team faced Ukraine in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, in front of the full crowd at the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb.

CROATIA - UKRAINE 1:0 (1:0)
2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Group I.
Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb.

Referee: A. Mateu Lahoz (Spain)

Goals: 1:0 - N. Kalinić (38')

Cautions: Rotan (35')

Croatia: Subašić, Pivarić, Mitrović, Vida, Jedvaj, Badelj, Modrić, Rakitić (79' Kovačić), Brozović (90+2' Rog), Mandžukić, N. Kalinić (87' Kramarić). Head coach: A. Čačić.

Ukraine: Pyatov, Butko, Kucher, Ordets, Matviyenko, Stepanenko, Kovalenko (85' Besedin), Rotan (77' Sydorchuk), Konoplyanka, Yarmolenko, Kravets (59' Seleznyov). Head coach: A. Shevchenko.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

Following the draw against Turkey (1:1) and three straight victories over Kosovo, Finland, and Iceland, Croatia continued the winning streak playing without injured defenders Ćorluka and Vrsaljko, and suspended Perišić.

Ukraine winger Yarmolenko opened an interesting encounter with a missed opportunity, and the Vatreni replied through N. Kalinić, and only minutes later, Mandžukić took on Pyatov one-on-one, but hit the post.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

N. Kalinić and Yarmolenko had further chances to score, with Croatia goalie Subašić producing a great save, and Jedvaj was called upon to clear one ball off the line. Rakitić then tried from a rebound, and shot wide.

However, Croatia managed to take a one-goal advantage to half-time break: on 38 minutes, Modrić started the move, Rakitić backheeled to N. Kalinić, who shook off Ukraine defender and found the net with a powerful strike to make it 1:0.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

Second half offered less in terms of creating chances, yet both teams did not lack fighting spirit. On 78 minutes, Konoplyanka tested Subašić with a long-distance effort, while Croatia captain Modrić did the same to Pyatov ten minutes later. Both goalkeepers responded perfectly.

 

N. Kalinić goal thus proved decisive, and Croatia's mission was accomplished. Ante Čačić's men remain at the top of the group, three points ahead of Iceland. Ukraine slipped to third with the first defeat of this campaign.

In the remaining Group I matches on Friday, Turkey defeated Finland at home 2:0, while Iceland was victorious at Kosovo 2:1. In June, Croatia visits Iceland, Kosovo take on Turkey, and Finland hosts Ukraine.

2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Group I:
1. Croatia 13
2. Iceland 10
3. Ukraine 8
4. Turkey 8
5. Finland 1
6. Kosovo 1

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

 

24.03.2017., Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb. Spectators: 27351
Referees: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz (ESP), Pau Cebrian Devis (ESP), Javier Aguilar Rodriguez (ESP)
Fourth referee: Carlos Clos Gomez (ESP)
Croatia
1
Ukraine
0
23Danijel Subašić12Andriy Pyatov
7Ivan Rakitić
79'		2Bogdan Butko
10Luka Modrić3Ivan Ordets
16Nikola Kalinić
38'
87'		4Mykola Matviienko
6Matej Mitrović5Oleksandr Kucher
11Marcelo Brozović
90'+1'		6Taras Stepanenko
13Tin Jedvaj7Andrii Iarmolenko
17Mario Mandžukić9Artem Kravets
59'
19Milan Badelj10Yevhen Konoplyanka
21Domagoj Vida14Ruslan Rotan
37'
77'
22Josip Pivarić22Viktor Kovalenko
85'
Bench
1Dominik Livaković1Denys Boiko
12Lovre Kalinić23Mykyta Shevchenko
20Marko Pjaca11Ievgen Seleznov
59'
8Mateo Kovačić
79'		16Sergii Sydorchuk
77'
9Andrej Kramarić
87'		18Artem Biesiedin
85'
15Marko Rog
90'+1'		8Mykola Moroziuk
3Marko Lešković13Ivan Petriak
14Duje Čop15Maksym Malyshev
18Filip Bradarić17Viktor Tsyhankov
19Ievgenii Shakhov
20Yaroslav Rakits'kyy
21Oleksandr Zinchenko
Coaches
Ante ČačićAndriy Shevchenko

Croatia faces Ukraine on the path towards the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia in yet another chapter of the qualifying clashes between these two nations. The qualifying draws have put up Croatia vs. Ukraine on four occasions, while a single friendly match had a historic significance.

In June 1993 in Zagreb, Croatia hosted Ukraine in tense moments when both countries seeked to emerge on the football maps of Europe after gaining independence. Šuker, Adžić, and Bičanić secured Croatia's victory (3:1), while Husin scored the lone Ukraine goal.

First qualifying matches were soon to come. On the road to EURO 1996 in England, when Miroslav Blažević's Vatreni secured the top spot - defeating Italy in the process - Ukraine arrived to Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb in March 1995. Šuker scored twice, Boban added one, and Prosinečki converted a penalty for a 4:0 victory. The irreplaceable Shevchenko, the current Ukraine manager, made his international debut that day.

Three months later in Kiev, Kalitvintsev found the net to give Ukraine the 1:0 win, that included Gabrić's sending off, and the 1998 World Cup play-off draw paved the way for more qualifying drama.

Croatia, on the way towards the historic bronze medal in the summer of 1998 in France, won the first play-off leg in Zagreb 2:0, due to Bilić and Vlaović strikes. The return leg witnessed an early Shevchenko goal, with this Ukraine lead completely opening things up. However, Bokšić managed to equalize in 27th minute and the Vatreni embarked on an unforgettable journey.

The opportunity to settle the score presented to Ukraine in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. Croatia, led by Slaven Bilić, managed a goalless draw in Kharkiv, and took the lead through Petrić in the second minute of the Zagreb encounter. However, Shevchenko and Gai turned things around, with Modrić levelling things up (2:2), but this draw became one of the key outcomes in the final showdown. England secured the World Cup berth, and Ukraine proceeded to the play-off with a one-point advantage over Croatia.

In March 2017, Croatia and Ukraine will thus meet in Zagreb for the eighth time. Ante Čačić's men lead the qualifying Group I with ten points, earned through victories over Kosovo, Finland, and Iceland, and the draw with Turkey. Ukraine visits Maksimir as the second-placed team, with eight points - wins over Kosovo and Finland, and the draws with Iceland and Turkey.

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foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
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