Oh boy. Can it be Sunday already?
Croatia hosts Russia at Stadion Poljud on Sunday in “utakmica godine” (the game of the year) as Luka Modrić wrote on Instagram. Luka is absolutely correct, in fact, Sunday’s match is the most important game for Croatia since the 2018 World Cup Final against France. The severity of this match outweighs any 2020 Euro qualifier and group stage/knockout match. The Vatreni can punch their ticket to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a win. Anything else, and Russia is automatically through to the tournament. A draw or a loss for Croatia does not disqualify Croatia from the 2022 World Cup yet, but they would have to enter a four-team playoff for a World Cup berth if they fail to collect all three points.
Now, what can we expect from Croatia on Sunday?
Stadion Poljud will be absolutely rocking and filled to the brim. Within the first six hours of ticket sales, all 34,000 tickets sold out. Croatians from all over the world are attending the match, and Croatia’s faithful will be in full force. The Vatreni have shown excellent results at Stadion Poljud in the last few years, crushing both Hungary and Slovenia 3-0. Home-field advantage should truly be a benefit for the boys on Sunday.
After routing Malta 7-1 on away soil on Thursday, it would be stupid for Zlatko Dalić to make any changes to the starting lineup for Sunday. Lovro Majer put on a show against Malta at the right-wing position, the first time a Croatian has played well down the right flank in many matches. Majer deserves a starting spot on Sunday after scoring twice on Thursday. Mario Pašalić filled the injured Mateo Kovačić’s boots extremely well in the midfield, scoring and assisting on Thursday. He has been an excellent playmaker and finisher for Croatia in the past year. Andrej Kramarić earned himself a massive confidence boost against Malta, assisting twice and scoring from 35-40 yards out. Joško Gvardiol and Duje Ćaleta-Car should 100% start for the Vatreni from now on, considering their impressive form and impact for the Vatreni recently. Only 19 and 25 years-old, the future looks bright for our backline. Josip Juranović and Borna Sosa have proven to be dangerous, attacking wingbacks, and will be needed down the flank to pressure Russia’s expected “park the bus” tactic on Sunday. Zlatko Dalić confirmed that Ivo Grbić will get the start in net for Croatia on Sunday, a sigh of relief for many Croatians, as Dominik Livaković has been out of form and and playing nervously in the box. Luka Modrić, Ivan Perišić, Mario Pašalić, Marcelo Brozović, and Andrej Kramarić will most likely start on Sunday, considering they were subbed out of the match early in the second half on Thursday.
IN CONCLUSION: please do not make any changes to the starting XI, Mr. Dalić.
Russia only needs a draw on Sunday for an automatic berth into the 2022 World Cup. As stated before, Russia is going to bunker in the back, and park the bus. The earlier Croatia scores in the match, the easier it will be for the Vatreni to control the tempo of the game. Russia is a solid side and will not make the same mistakes that Malta made on Thursday.
I predict a 2-0 victory for Croatia on Sunday. Andrej Kramarić will score the opening goal midway through the first half, followed by a second half security goal from Ivan Perišić. Sunday’s match is a huge opportunity for the Vatreni to redeem themselves following a rocky three years. Winner takes all, folks. LET’S GO!
i know this will come as a shock but IM SCARED! HOLD ME PLZ lol .. are we gonna do this??
Can someone pre match bring out grdovic to belt out Dalmatinac Sam at Poljud
That will get the juices flowing
I wouldn’t be surprised if they brought someone out to sing with the fans pre game (how about Zaprešić Boys- that should get them pumped up).
I love it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgMi9xsY-Ew
IGRAJ MOJA HRVATSKA! 👍
I wonder if Russia will be all doped up like in the World Cup.
Maybe the vatreni should have some high grade yayo in the locker room and in water bottles.
I suspect Dalic will tinker with the lineups again
A real smart arse he is
Overthinking things at this late stage can’t help
I think Majer won’t start
Just play your best technical 11
The line up against was close to our best line up in a long time
Correction
The line up against Malta was close to our best line in a long time
—————–KRAMARIC——————–
—–PERISIC—————–VLASIC——-
——————————————————-
——–MAJER———-MODRIC———–
—————-BROZOVIC———————
–SOSA————————JURANOVIC
——–GVARDIOL–LOVREN(DCC)—-
—————–GRBIC(LIVAKOVIC)——-
I would start MAJER over PASALIC and since VLASIC is of former RUSSIAN league experience I can understand him starting in MAJERs deeper role that he played during MALTA match… MAJER although not KOVACIC can add more to the mid then PASALIC all day… if anything PASALIC would be good sub for VLASIC or vice versa..
If KOVACIC was healthy VLASIC would be sub to MAJER…
Let’s go VATRENI… ZDS
NAVIJAC SA STIPINOVOG GRICA!
Does anyone know what happens to accumulated cards of players who continue to the playoffs? While I firmly believe that if Dalic starts the same 11 we’ll win 3-0, if we lose, what happens to Brozovic or Perisic if they earn a yellow tomorrow?
I have checked the FIFA rules and regs for WC 2022 (found on UEFA site) and on page 22 under yellow and red cards: it states that suspensions are carried into the next competative match. So the way I’m reading it, if Brozovic and Perisic were to get a yellow card they would be suspended for the first play off match. Hopefully we can beat the Russians and avoid that possibility.
Yeah i thought the nations league finally came in handy cos that counts as a “competitive match” also. I mean obv we dont wont to go down that route but…
Only red cards I think
Plot twist
A jew star will be burned into the grass tomorrow;)
Or some sort of covid anti or pro vaccine
I thought Poljuds field was not so great for drainage, I’m surprised by the 5 star rating
What’s the weather doing right now split boys?
Kisa rain. Thunder oluja se sprema like in95 haha.
Light rain and tommorow will be light during game gonna wet but i hope its worth it
We’ve never beaten Russia in regular time. Three games drawn in qualifiers and I have a feeling this game will end in a 1-1 draw. Hate to say it but just a feeling of doubt. I just know Dalic will somehow fuck up the lineup and put in Livakovic or a struggling defender at the back. It’s a 9 am game here in Canada so I’ll be up early. Low expectations for me idk why. Love this team but Russia is highly underrated. No mistakes can be made in a high intensity game. The teams we would play potentially in playoffs should motivate the vatreni to fight like pit bulls tomorrow. They are great a long balls, tendency to pass forward and look for Golovin for crosses. They also tend to give up a lot of shots.
Switzerland
Serbia
Poland
Sweden
Czech Republic
Norway
Ukraine
All these teams would give us difficulty. As I said, I know they’ll fight hard but my expectations are low. I’ll buy a new jersey if they win.
You can swith italy for swiss and even portugal for serbia nothings written in stone.
Gazim sutra 3 0
Imagine if it’s Serbia.. LOL
Let us know which jersey you’re going to buy 😉
Current betting line (Pinnacle):
Croatia -165
Draw +314
Russia +471
I watched the Canada-Costa Rica match last night. Canada looks a lot better than they ever have, they have quick dynamic forwards and a pretty solid back line. Davies is amazing, as we already know, and David, Larin, Ugbo are also great forwards. Buchanan is like a knock-off Davies, very good player as well. The defence is well compacted and as much as it hurts to say this, their Četnik keeper is pretty decent as well. I do like Crepeau and hopefully he’ll take the reigns if Canada qualifies for the World Cup. This team is fun to watch, but the passing is bad. Their midfield is pretty weak in distribution, and against any decent European team, they’d get exposed. Despite Mexico and US being decent teams, they don’t have elite midfields, and neither does any other team in CONCACAF. Any European squad would expose that so quickly. Watching Croatia play and then watching Canada is very different in terms of play style and skill level. Canada is faster on the break and a couple of their speedy youngsters could really hurt top teams even in a tournament like the World Cup. But when it comes to distribution and controlling the game, I say Croatia would have 70% possession against them and at least 20-25% more pass accuracy. Some of those long balls last night were painful to watch.
I’d be rooting for Canada as my number 2 in the WC but they really need to understand their strengths and weaknesses to do well. Use the fast counter and reliable defending, but don’t waste time in your midfield.
Just a few interesting takes I noticed yesterday.
Would be super cool to see Canada and Croatia in same
Group
Not out of the realm of possibility
They do have strengths
But I would imagine luka could pick their midfield right apart
Based on some of the comments I’m reading here and in Croatia, I’m really concerned that Dalic is going to significantly tinker with this lineup. The fact that they looked so cohesive and ran up the score has probably screwed up his plan. A narrow victory vs. Malta would have served his agenda better. How he doesn’t go with the exact same starting 11 is absolutely beyond my comprehension.
I’m worried about him throwing in Lovren or Barišić over Ćaleta-Car and Sosa. He did it in Osijek, and may do it again.
He’ll probably want to play Vlašić too (since he’s pretty big on playing hometown heros) so it likely means that red-hot Majer will sit.
Remember… Dalić is a lucky retard.
This is his legacy.
😉
In terms of lineup, Dalić shouldn’t change a thing. These guys are hot and they have plenty of confidence.
However, our approach needs to be different. Malta exposed us a few times on quick counters and if they were Russia, they would have scored on those chances.
We need to have a slightly lower line but continue to press high with our forwards, our midfield will have more room and will without a doubt control the tempo of this game.
Kramaric
Perisic-Pasalic-Majer
Modric-Brozovic
Sosa-Gvardiol-CC-Juranovic
Grbic
Poljud will be rocking and hopefully they fire our boys up even more then they already should be. Ajmo!!
If we had Lovren x Vida against Malta, the counter attacks would’ve been a lot worse. Against Malta, I wasn’t shitting myself because Gvardiol is such a reliability at centre-half with his speed.
Anyone have a good link? I’m out of the country and espn+ and fubotv are blacked out. Help!
UEFA.tv works great (also free and no account required) in Canada.
UEFA.Tv will have it
Uefa TV smeče. I’m in Mexico. No streaming website here works. I need like a Russian link
Try using a VPN to make it look like you’re in Canada.
Same here… need a link
http://www.hesgoal.com/
I expect we drub the Ruskies like we did the Greeks…unless of course they receive some undetectable super-soldier serum, courtesy of Vlad’s mad scientists.
3-1 za Hrvatsku
Ajmo dečki!!!
Bog i Hrvati
Grbić – Juranović, Lovren, Gvardiol, Barišić – Brozović, Modrić – Vlašić, Kramarić, Perišić – Petković this lineup is floating around croatian media
We knew most likely lovren would play but I think we need sosa crosses
Barisic has played well last couple of games for us I guess but i don’t think he provides the offence we need
I guess he is seen as better balance offence/defence then sosa?
Vlasic would be getting the call cause of his split and Russia connection I guess If so
Majer I feel will probably take that spot on the rw in the future till a legit rw comes around
Interestingly, if Croatia were to make the World Cup, they would likely have a really high starter turnover rate from 2016 with the only returners likely to be brozovic, modric and perisic. Modric and perisic will struggle to be at the same level but brozovic could arguably be better. It seems dalic has geniusly and successfully implemented his master plan of transitioning in the new generation!
Good news is poljud have a 5 star uefa pitch so hopefully the drainage is good. Im going can’t wait got my test today negative so should be fun last time was win and in for 20 years ago v Belgium lets to it again
Poljud received a new pitch and drainage system in 2014,
2014 ??? the pitch was changed in May 2021. It is a hybrid pitch now.
Not sure about the drainage, recent match in UEFA Youth (Hajduk v Minsk) the pitch was waterlogged in some spots and had it been a senior match it would have not gone ahead ?
Looks like it’s raining today and Sunday. So field will potentially be a mess
The playoff against two different teams increases variability and thus likely reduces Croatia playoff odds as its easier for the best team to win an aggregate 180 minutes over two matches then for the better team to win each time in two separate 90 minutes games
Technically we are better, man for man we have more talent and that crowd won’t allow us to play poorly.
Not feeling overly confident with the new, young defence. Look fine in possession, but flat and static when defending. If Malta had 2 chances (1 offside) with balls through the middle, what will Russia do?
Agree with you. We need to go with experienced defence. People do not like Lovren , but I would play him because he plays for Zenit in Russia and has the experience in big matches and this is a huge match. Lovren did not play in the match v Slovakia and we conceeded two goals and our defence in the first half looked shaky against Malta. I think Dalic will play Lovren, but whom does he drop DCC or Gvardiol ?
Bad news is that rain is forecast for Sunday in Split and that will hinder us more than Russia.
I don’t see us scoring especially after we hit 7 goals lol Russia is going to bunker unfortunately. Hit
Or miss. Fuck it, I saw my guys in a WC Final. We’ll be ight either way
Watching Costa Rica and Canada
The Serb keeper for Canada is playing well
Man I wish we got to play concacaf teams to qualify
They can run but not so skilled
Watching that game too. The shape of that pitch is sramota
So bad
From first world Canada
Canada has some beautiful pitches, like the one on Toronto. Canada chose this artificial field because it is in Edmonton and the game is in November. Cold, and not a large population who would cheer for the opponents, which regularly occurs with games in Canada. The temperature was just below zero C for the Costa Rica game, which is unseasonably warm. Temperature supposed to be -10 C against Mexico. This field was chosen to make it as uncomfortable as possible for Canada’s Mexican and Central American opponents.
Borjan had nothing to do all game. Made one save from distance that a high school goalie would have saved.
I agree fully
We have to play our way
Possession and aggressive and it’s only ours to lose or bad luck or bad refs
We do need the early goal
They don’t want to try to bomb it out with us
I take our ability to counter more then many other teams
Home in split baby
Place will be electric
One game to beat Russia in Split to go to the World Cup.
Spremni
Fresh and in form Luka Modrić.
Splićani running wild at Poljud.
Kramaric looked great last match.
Brozovic had his gaffe and now he will dominate and bang one in from 20 meters.
Full backs are slick on the left and hard running on the right.
I even like Vlašić off the bench for even more energy.
Oršić is due.
It is our depth that will take this one home.
Russia is in a mind fuck attempting to tie against us.
It will back fire.
Once they have to chase a goal then it is open season.
2-0
Red card against pravoslavni
U boj ..
I said this before the Malta game and I’ll say it again here.
If we keep a high tempo game and not take the foot off the gas, we will beat Russia and beat them well. If we played scared, slow the play down and try to prance our way into their box, we will be crap.
Russia cannot match our quality so all they have is to match our level of intensity. They know they have to wait for their chance and it’s easier for them if we dilly dally, slowly move the ball around.
vs Malta, we came out making fast passes, switching the field quickly, moving the ball forward and into spaces and we created because we were always looking to advance the play. We must maintain that against the Russians!
No retreat No Surrender
ZDS!
Sucks the start time is so early can’t find a good footy bar open that early.