National Teams

Tough encounter in Russia

Goalless in Moscow:
Croatia remains top
of the group

01.09.2021.
Goalless in Moscow: Croatia remains top of the group
photo by: Drago Sopta/HNS
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In the first September FIFA World Cup qualifier, Croatia visited Russia in a game that produced no goals.

RUSSIA - CROATIA 0:0 (0:0)
2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Group H.
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.

Referee: R. Reinshreiber (Israel)

Goal: -

Cautions: Barinov (35'), Cheryshev (90+3')

Russia: Guilherme, Karavaev, Dzhikiya, Diveev, Fernandes (78' Samoshnikov), Golovin, Barinov, Kuzyaev (84' Erokhin), Zaharyan (70' Cheryshev), Ionov (70' Bakaev), Miranchuk (46' Zabolotnyi). Head coach: V. Karpin.

Croatia: Livaković, Sosa, Lovren, Ćaleta-Car (84' Škorić), Juranović, Brozović, Kovačić, Pašalić (70' Ivanušec), Vlašić, Perišić (74' Livaja), Kramarić (74' Oršić). Head coach: Z. Dalić.

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

Following this summer's UEFA EURO, Zlatko Dalić's men continued the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. The first September task was a visit to Moscow.

The match did not offer plenty of content, and Livaković stopped Zaharyan's powerful shot in what was Russia's best chance of the first half, while Croatia responded shortly before the break. Kramarić came up just short following a great Kovačić's through ball, and Perišić missed the target after Juranović's cross from the right. 

As the second half begun, Livaković was called to action once again, and the hosts provided several dangerous moves towards the Croatian box. The Vatreni were more lively in the closing minutes, with the substitute Ivanušec and energetic Kovačić having the best opportunities.

Thus, Croatia remained top of the qualifying Group H. Slovenia and Slovakia shared the spoils in Ljubljana (1:1), and Malta defeated Cyprus (3:0).

In three days time, Croatia take on Slovakia in Bratislava, and finally hosts Slovenia in Split.

2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Group H:
1. Croatia 7
2. Russia 7
3. Slovakia 6
4. Slovenia 4
5. Malta 4
6. Cyprus 4

foto: Drago Sopta/HNS

01.09.2021., , Moskva. Spectators: 18708
Referees: Roi Reinshreiber (ISR), Roy Hassan (ISR), Idan Yarkoni (ISR)
Fourth referee: Eitan Shmuelevitz (ISR)
Russia
0
Croatia
0
1Guilherme1Dominik Livaković
2Mário Fernandes
78'		4Ivan Perišić
75'
3Igor Diveev5Duje Ćaleta-Car
84'
4Vyacheslav Karavaev6Dejan Lovren
8Dmitri Barinov
35'		8Mateo Kovačić
14Georgi Dzhikiya9Andrej Kramarić
75'
15Aleksei Miranchuk
46'		10Nikola Vlašić
17Aleksandr Golovin11Marcelo Brozović
19Arsen Zakharyan
70'		15Mario Pašalić
70'
20Aleksei Ionov
70'		21Borna Sosa
23Daler Kuzyaev
84'		22Josip Juranović
Bench
12Yuri Dyupin12Ivica Ivušić
16Andrei Lunev23Simon Sluga
5Maksim Osipenko2Filip Uremović
6Denis Cheryshev
90'+4'
70'		3Borna Barišić
7Anton Zabolotny
46'		7Luka Ivanušec
70'
9Fedor Smolov13Nikola Moro
10Zelimkhan Bakaev
70'		14Marko Livaja
75'
11Roman Zobnin16Mile Škorić
84'
13Ilia Samoshnikov
78'		17Lovro Majer
18Aleksei Sutormin18Mislav Oršić
75'
21Aleksandr Erokhin
84'		19Antonio Mirko Čolak
22Maksim Mukhin
Coaches
Valeri Karpin (Russia)Zlatko Dalić

Croatia national team head coach Zlatko Dalić has selected 25-man squad for three 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this September.

Following the EURO 2020 final tournament, Croatia national football team meets on Monday, 30 August. In the first week of September, they will play three tough matches in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, visiting Russia (1 September) and Slovakia (4 September) and hosting Slovenia (7 September).

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalić has selected 25 players for these challenges, with four players on stand-by.

 

 

"I believe that our batteries are charged following the EURO 2020. We want to complete the qualifying campaign with new energy, full of ambition. Seven matches await, with 21 points still to grab, and we need 14 or 15 more to qualify. Of course, our desire is to get as many as possible in September", Dalić says.

"Objectively speaking, this is the toughest month in the calendar, and due to the beginning of the club season, it is not an ideal moment for the national team. The players are at different levels of competitive form, but we still have to present our quality, desire and unity. That is the only way to make it to the top of the group and reach Qatar. Me and my coaching staff have decided that these players can optimally respond to the upcoming challenges, while the national team doors are always open to any player who deserves it", he concluded. 

Croatia squad:

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković (Dinamo Zagreb), Simon Sluga (Luton Town), Ivica Ivušić (Osijek).

Defenders: Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Dejan Lovren (Zenit), Borna Barišić (Glasgow Rangers), Duje Ćaleta-Car (Olympique de Marseille), Josip Juranović (Legia), Filip Uremović (Rubin Kazan), Joško Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Mile Škorić (Osijek), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart).

Midfielders: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovačić (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozović (Inter), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta), Nikola Vlašić (CSKA Moscow), Luka Ivanušec (Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Moro (Dinamo Moscow).

Forwards: Ivan Perišić (Inter), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Mislav Oršić (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marko Livaja (Hajduk), Antonio Mirko Čolak (Malmö).

Stand-by: Toma Bašić (Bordeaux), Kristijan Lovrić (Gorica), Lovro Majer (Dinamo Zagreb), Luka Sučić (RB Salzburg).

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foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
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