Croatians Around Europe *IX*

SPAIN

Luka Modric recieved his 3rd consecutive La Liga start and scored his first goal for Real Madrid in stoppage time of their 4-0 victory over Real Zaragoza. In the 93rd minute the ball deflected out of the box and found Luka who finished impressively with his left foot. Modric had 4 shots and also picked up his third yellow card in his last four appearances. Luka has been playing very well as of late and will hope to be in Mourinho’s plans for their Champions League fixture against Dortmund on Tuesday. The win moves Real up into 3rd in La Liga as they continue to recover from their slow start.

 Modric corner at 0:57, shot at 3:05, goal at 5:20

Ivan Rakitic started and played 86 minutes in Sevilla’s 0-0 draw with Levante on Sunday. It was a very quiet game for Rakitic as he was unable to register any shots and created very few chances. Sevilla are in 7th through 10 matches.

RUSSIA

Pletikosa keeps out a penalty in Rostov’s midweek cup victory over Spartak Moscow

Stipe Pletikosa and FC Rostov conceded a late goal for the second week in a row as they fell 2-1 to Zenit St. Petersburg. Stipe will be dissapointed to be beaten at his near post on the first goal but both goals were the results of lapses in the defense. He made a few decent saves but nothing spectacular. Rostov remained in 14th despite the loss, 2 points clear of the relegation zone. 

Dario Kresic and Vedran Corluka played the full match forLokomotiv Moscow as they were defeated 2-1 by CSKA Moscow thanks to a a 90th minute goal by Pontus Wernbloom. Loko desperately needed to get a result out of this fixture as the pressure builds on Slaven Bilic. They went down a man in the 53rd minute and lost another through inury in the 80th but were able to maintain the 1-1 scoreline before Wernbloom scored in the final minutes. Neither man was at fault for the goals as Kresic was beaten by a Rasmus Elm free kick that went over the wall and Wernbloom’s goal off a rebound. Lokomotiv have dropped down to 8th following the loss. 

Tomislav Dujmovic played the full 90 minutes in Mordovia Saransk’s 3-1 defeat to Rubin Kazan. The loss was their third in a row and leaves them at the bottom of the Russian Premier League, with just 8 points in 14 games.

ENGLAND

Photo: David Rawcliffe/Propaganda

Nikica Jelavić might be in a slump ladies and gentlemen. The Everton frontman received the start on Saturday vs. Fulham but did not impress in the 2-2 draw. Fulham took the lead within 10 minutes when Bryan Ruiz’s free kick struck off the right post and deflected off the back of goalkeeper Tim Howard for the own goal. Jelavić had an opportunity to equalize in the first half but hit high with a half open goal. He was subbed off in the 89′ with one shot on goal to his name. However, Belgian striker Marouane Fellaini would come to the rescue, scoring two composed goals in the second half to give Everton the lead, and nearly scoring a third. But Everton could not keep the lead as substitute Steve Sidwell scored the equalizer in the 90th minute for Fulham to force a 2-2 draw. 

Mladen Petrić came into the match for Fulham in the 76th minute but did not manage one shot on goal. With the draw, Everton move into fourth place while Fulham sit in seventh. 

Jelavić miss @ 0:40

UKRAINE

Photo: Shakhtar 

Darijo Srna and Shakhtar Donetsk made it 14 straight wins to start the 2012-13 season, as they defeated Metalurg Zaporizhya 2-0 on Saturday. Srna played the full 90 minutes at right back for Shakhtar and indirectly created both of his team’s goals on the day. In the 21st minute, Srna was taken down in the box, leading to a penalty, which Costa would convert. In the 82′, Srna blasted a low shot towards goal and the ensuing block was bicycle-kicked into the net by Adriano. Shakhtar have yet to lose a match in any competition this season and travel to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday in a Champions League duel with reigning title holders Chelsea FC.

Eduardo was not listed on the Shakhtar squad for this match; his second missed game. It is unknown if it is due to injury or form.

Srna pulled down @ 0:38, shot @ 

Ognjen Vukojević played 90 minutes in Dynamo Kiev’s 2-0 victory over Tavriya on Saturday. The Croatian defensive midfielder picked up a yellow card 120 seconds into the game while Niko Kranjčar remained on the bench for the match. Dynamo remain two points behind Dnipro for Ukraine’s last Champions League berth. Dynamo host FC Porto Tuesday in Champions League. 

Ivan Strinić received the start for Dnipro on Saturday but was subbed out in the 73′ in a 2-0 win over Metalist. It is unknown whether the substitution was due to injury or tactics. The win keeps Dnipro two points in front of Dynamo Kiev for the last Champions League spot and 12 points behind a perfect Shakhtar Donetsk. Nikola Kalinić remained on the bench for this match. Dnipro travel to Italy on Thursday to take on a good Napoli side in Europa League.

Germany

Photo: Fabian Bimmer/Reuters

Bayern Munich bounced back from last weekend’s defeat at home to Bayer Leverkusen by striking out Hamburg SV 3-0 in front of 57,000 at Imtech Arena on Saturday. Former Dinamo Zagreb striker, Mario Mandžukić, started and played the full 90 minutes for Bayern Munich in the win. The 26-year-old Croatian international played well but couldn’t find the back of the net for the ninth time this season. 

Milan Badelj  started and played the full 90 minutes for Hamburg in the loss. The former Dinamo Zagreb midfielder was not at fault for neither of the three Bayern goals. Milan finished the game without a shot and only committed one foul. Ivo Iličević was left off the roster sheet by HSV. 

Photo: REUTERS/Morris Mac Matzen

Wolfsburg dropped back down into the relegation zone after failing to score in a 1-0 loss against Nurnberg. Former Dinamo Zagreb striker, Ivica Olić, started and played 60 minutes for Wolfsburg in the loss. The 33-year-old Croatian international started on the left wing and finished the match without a shot. Srdjan Lakić came on for Josue in the 87th minute of play and couldn’t find the equalizer.

Ivan Perišić came off the bench for Marco Reus in the 76th minute in a nil-nil draw against Stuttgart on Saturday. Dortmund dominated possession and registered seven shots on goal but couldn’t find the back of the net. Ivan couldn’t get anything going in 15 minutes of play and finished the game without a shot. 

France

 PHOTO: Reuters/Robert Pratta

Olympique Lyon gained ground on PSG and first place in Ligue 1 after posting a 5-2 win over Bastia on Sunday. Former Dinamo Zagreb defender, Dejan Lovren started and played only 30 minutes after being shown a straight red by referee Fredy Fautrel for a foul on Florian Thauvin in the box. Dejan started off well, getting onto a free kick and heading it on goal only for Maxime Gonalons to clean up the rebound for the opening goal. Less than a half-hour later, Lovren would slide tackle Florian Thauvin and watched the rest of the match from the locker room after being shown a straight red. Video replay shows that Thauvin did sell the foul even though there was only minimal contact.  With the win, Lyon are only one point behind PSG with a game in hand.

Dejan Lovren is shown a straight red 

Italy

PHOTO: Pescara

Ante Vukušić looked on from the bench as Pescara stopped a four match winless streak by defeating Parma 2-0 on Sunday.  With the win, Pescara climb out of the Serie A relegation zone. 

Next Matches:

Tuesday, 11/6

Borussia Dortmund at Real Madrid(Champions League), Porto at Dynamo Kyiv(Champions League)

Wednesday, 11/7

Lille at Bayern München(Champions League), Shakhtar Donetsk at Chelsea(Champions League)

Thursday, 11/8

Olympique Lyonnais at Athletic Club(Europa League), Dnipro at Napoli(Europa League), Amkar Perm’ at Rostov

Saturday, 11/10

Fulham at Arsenal, Sunderland at Everton, Eintracht at Bayern München, Borussia Dortmund at Augsburg, Hamburger SV at Freiburg, Juventus at Pescara, Dynamo Kyiv at Metalurh, Rostov at Anzhi Makhachkala, Anzhi Makhachkala at Lokomotiv Moskva

Sunday, 11/11

Bayer Leverkusen at Wolfsburg, Real Madrid at Levante, Sevilla at Athletic Club, Olympique Lyonnais at Sochaux, Shakhtar Donetsk at Metalurh Donetsk, Dnipro at Illichivets’

~Ante Kvartuč and Denis Svirčić reporting from sunny Southern California, Zach Gilfix reporting from Minneapolis, MN