National Teams

1:1 in Cardiff

Croatia secures a
draw at Wales, awaits
Slovakia decider

13.10.2019.
Croatia secures a draw at Wales, awaits Slovakia decider
photo by: Drago Sopta/HNS
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On Sunday, Wales and Croatia played out a 1:1 draw in EURO 2020 qualifying Group E.

WALES - CROATIA 1:1 (1:1)
EURO 2020 qualifying, Group E
Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff.

Referee: B. Kuipers (Netherlands)

Goals: 0:1 - Vlašić (9'), 1:1 - Bale (45+3')

Cautions: Vida (15'), Lovren (45+5'), Petković (46'), Moore (57'), Rakitić (85'), Allen (86'), Modrić (89'), James (90+6')

Wales: Hennessey, B. Davies, Lockyer, Rodon, C. Roberts, Ampadu (50' Morrell), Allen, James, J. Williams (68' Wilson), Bale, Moore (86' T. Roberts). Head coach: R. Giggs.

Croatia: Livaković, Barišić, Vida, Lovren, Jedvaj, Modrić (90' Badelj), Kovačić (46' Rakitić), Brekalo, Vlašić, Perišić, Petković (64' Rebić). Head coach: Z. Dalić.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

In its penultimate encounter in EURO 2020 qualifying, Croatia visited Wales and shared the spoils.

Repeating previous away qualifiers, Croatia took an early lead. Nine minutes gone, Brekalo found a corridor on the left flank, and Petković served Vlašić, who slotted the ball home off the post, from the edge of the box.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

Soon afterwards, Petković brilliantly crossed to Perišić, whose header was saved by Hennessey, and Wales managed to equalized deep into added time of first half. It was Bale who beat Livaković to make it 1:1.

At the break, Rakitić replaced the injured Kovačić, and later on Rebić replaced Petković, with James and Jedvaj failing to convert the best opportunities of the second half.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

In the closing minutes, Croatia captain Modrić also had to be substituted due to injury, with Badelj coming on.

Today, Hungary managed to defeat Azerbaijan in Budapest (1:0), and Croatia awaits the November decider with Slovakia in Rijeka at the top of the group, needing a draw to secure EURO 2020 berth.

EURO 2020 qualifying, Group E:
1. Croatia 14 (7)
2. Hungary 12 (7)
3. Slovakia 10 (6)
4. Wales 8 (6)
5. Azerbaijan 1 (6)

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

13.10.2019., City Stadium, Cardiff. Spectators: 31745
Referees: Bjorn Kuipers (NED), Sander van Roekel (NED), Erwin Zeinstra (NED)
Fourth referee: Paulus (Pol) van Boekel (NED)
Wales
1
Croatia
1
1Wayne Hennessey1Dominik Livaković
11Gareth Bale
49'+4'		10Luka Modrić
89'
90'
7Joseph Allen
86'		6Dejan Lovren
90'+5'
17Jonathan Williams
68'		4Ivan Perišić
4Ben Davies21Domagoj Vida
15'
20Daniel James
96'+6'		8Mateo Kovačić
46'
16Thomas Lockyer16Tin Jedvaj
15Ethan Ampadu
50'		20Bruno Petković
46'
64'
14Connor Roberts17Josip Brekalo
5Joseph Rodon13Nikola Vlašić
9'
13Kieffer Moore
57'
86'		3Borna Barišić
Bench
12Danny Ward12Lovre Kalinić
21Adam Rhys Davies23Simon Sluga
2Chris Gunter19Milan Badelj
90'
3Neil Taylor7Ivan Rakitić
85'
46'
9Sam Vokes14Mile Škorić
6Ashley Williams9Mislav Oršić
19Tom Lawrence18Ante Rebić
64'
18Joseff Morrell
50'		15Mario Pašalić
10Harry Wilson
68'		5Dino Perić
8Tyler Roberts
86'		11Filip Bradarić
22Rabbi Matondo22Karlo Bartolec
23William Vaulks2Dario Melnjak
Coaches
Ryan Joseph Giggs(-)

Zlatko Dalić, Croatia head coach, and international forward Ivan Perišić spoke to the press on the eve of the EURO 2020 qualifier in Wales.

Zlatko Dalić

"Besides Brozović, who is suspended, we'll probably make two more changes in the starting lineup and find the optimal solution, aware that we need to rest some players, in order to avoid the same mistakes we have made in Azerbaijan. It would be nice to secure our EURO 2020 berth before November, we have two match-points. Croatia respects Wales, since it has been a hard fought battle in Osijek in June. They need to win, and they have Bale in the team, alongside many other quality players, including youngster James. I will not ask my players to play defensively, but good defence will allow us to go forward"

Ivan Perišić

"There is less and less time to rest and prepare between qualifiers, but Wales has the same problem and we'll see who will adapt better. We remember the difficulties we've had in Osijek against Wales, yet we hope to reach EURO 2020 on Sunday. The match in Azerbaijan was another warning for us, and we have 20 quality players - we can use them to keep the energy level on maximum until the final whistle. Croatia needs to play as a team, and stop both Bale and all of his teammates. We will seek a victory, as we always do"

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

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foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
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