It wasn’t a pretty last four games of qualifying, but nonetheless, the “Cardiac Croatians” got the job done and have qualified for Euro 2024 next summer in Germany. The Vatreni simply needed a win against Armenia Tuesday night in Zagreb, and they got it (1-0) through a 43′ Ante Budimir header (Sosa cross) to get the job done. However, it was anything but an stress-free match as Armenia had their chances on the counter and nearly opened the scoring in the 1st half. Luckily, Livaković got a hand on the “break-away chip shot” to keep the game scoreless.
Things we learned this week:
-Budimir still has something to offer with proper service in the box
-Dalić needs to find a winger on the right side. Majer is not the long-term solution as he naturally plays the CAM role
-Marco Pašalić looked great this week in two short appearances off the bench. He was hungry and could be a right winger option in 2024
-Luka Sučić will be fun to watch. He is never afraid to rifle the ball outside of the box. We have not seen that since Rakitić left
-Kramarić is so important to this team when he plays as a supporting striker and not the 9
-Wales sucks. They had a chance to qualify for Euro with wins over Armenia and an already qualified Turkey side. Instead, they picked up two points this week. How in the hell did we only get one point against these guys? Baffling!
All in all, we got the job done and qualified automatically. We don’t have to worry about a March playoff and get to kick our international feet up until June. Croatia will be placed in Pot 3 for December 2nd’s Euro 2024 draw.
Toughest group: France, Denmark, Italy
Easiest group: Belgium, Albania, League C playoff winner (Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan Luxembourg)
Budimir was better today but still sucks
Sucic will be the real deal
Marco Pasalic looked good and hopefully can continue that form
Sosa should always start
Brozovic needs to retire. Watching him is comical at times.
Modric is a fine wine
Majer is going to be the next kovacic…hot and cold depending on the day
Kramaric is gonna Kramaric
Ivanusec was no good but I like him and he will improve.
Stanasic I thought he’d be better but … looks like he still has a ways to go
Sutalo and Gvardiol … i guess were fine but definatly need to step it up come EURO
Budimir with a Euro ‘24 spot clinching goal.
That was a MANdzukic type header.
Marco Pasalic is the only RW option. He has that energy like I am going to go at you all match long.
Sučić has gotten stronger physically and mentally from his knee injury.
Baturina is the goods.
Hate to say it as I love and respect Kovačić. But damn Modrić and Brozovic look better with the young crew.
Kovačić can provide that depth for Modrić and Brozovic.
Mario Pasalic is the ultimate squad player bringing quality off the bench and I loved him as the back #9.
Dalic is bringing some imagination.
Need young legs this summer after a long season and a successful two years.
Club season auditions begin now.
Time to see who is stepping up.
Germany is the closest to hosting. We need to go for it.
Good game!
A win is a fucking win, and now we’re in the dance. We take our chances, my Italian friends are nervous on the Italy, Croatia, France, and Denmark bracket, but let’s see what happens on December 2nd. Bog I Hrvati, Happy Thanksgiving to all American Croats
I’m not happy with how we looked, why all our players don’t were blue boots I’ll never know. Why not blue socks even?
I’m going to give a shout out to Marcelo Brozovic. Dude quietly played an outstanding game. One of the best games I’ve seen him play! Great player who never gets the accolades
Was thinkin the same thing. Beat me to the punch. Fun to watch him operate today. Modric seemed like he was on as well.
Yep
He was close to scoring with that falling strike he did where he absolutely hammered it.. just needed it either side, great strike tho. Also came close in the first half with one just past the post on his left foot.
All things considered, this surely was a relief. The boys came to play and it showed. My biggest concern though, is putting the damn ball in the net. We need to get better at scoring or we won’t go very far. Our extra time or shootout luck will certainly end at some point. My biggest positive is that Dalic today recognized what or who wasn’t working and made quick adjustments, rather than wait until it’s too late. This is something that’s taken a very long time for him to learn. Hopefully it sticks.
So I guess Kvartuč was exactly right about Wales having a 25% chance to win both games.
These final two games for them were always going to be 50/50 games…and two games with a 50% shot equals to 25% total.
Wales ending up with two draws was the most likely scenario.
Cant help but think what Roko Simic would have been like on games like today, with his hunger and urgency in the box
probably would have done the same as what he does in Austria. miss
That was great. Well done guys. Never easy. I was so happy to see baturina, sucic and marco p finish the game together. Marco P…wow
On the Nova TV post game show, they just showed the stat of qualified European teams in the 15 major tournaments since 1996. France, Germany and Spain have made all 15, England and Portugal have made 14, Croatia and Italy 13 and Netherlands 12. Pretty awesome.
What’s surprising is that prior to that date, Portugal rarely qualified for tournaments. They only started to become a good football nation at the same time as our Euro96 appearance.
Incredible ,,,,, Consistently Cardiac Croatians. When is enough, enough. When you are blessed to be born a Croatian.
Marco Pasalic is soo nice to watch. He’s like an old school guy that goes head on against defenders…even take on two at a time and he’s entertaining to watch! so far, so good!
Yes, one more assured ride for Modric on the merry-go-round. Don’t know who we are anymore, and how far we can go, but it is a great feat no matter,….. These are The Days!
For the short term we need to stick with Budimir, not for the fact that he scored the goal but for the fact that he works his socks off running and pressuring the opposition including their goalkeepers. The only other forward that we have that can do this is Roko Simic. If we change the formation and play with 2 forwards than it should be Budimir and Petkovic.
Looks like Stanisic isn’t fully fit. No wonder he always has this grimaced look on his face whenever the camera picks him up.
Finally the scenario of Sosa connecting with a tall striker for a goal materializes… here’s to many more such combos in future!🙂
Nice to see the young studs play together. Marco Pasalic’s stock is rising in my eyes👍
Give me Spain Albania Serbia in the group
Best draw would be Germany, Albania and one of the play off winners excluding Ukraine.
I would rather face off against the stronger opponents.
24-team format Euros is weird in that you are not really rewarded for topping your group.
In Euro2016, we topped our group ahead of Spain but still had to play Portugal.
So long as you don’t finish last in your group, you’ll probably get just as easy a path as the group winner.
Pasalic, Sucic and Baturina give us happiness moving forward. Kovacic is now a great sub in my opinion when Brozo or Modric gas out. We really need to continue with a more attack minded center mid in front of Brozo + Modric. And don’t forget Perisic will be back this summer. Exciting times ahead.
I think we need Sucic to take all of our corner kicks, and he should be starting for that reason only. We don’t do enough with our corner set pieces otherwise. Hopefully he is back and never gets hurt again.
Maybe Sosa, if he can ever get his range figured out. I think he has the leg. I think Sosa’s vertical jump balls might work to our height advantage. He is a manic depressed crosser who needs medication.
we sure about Perisic. 8 months after a blown ACL and a player in his mid-30s. I wouldnt count on him. I wouldnt give him a roster spot.
For us old fans we only qaulifed with ease 3 times if my memory serves me euro 1996 2008 and world cup 2006
Yes, I think you are correct, all others were last match or through play offs.
The scoreboard did not show it, but we dominated in controlling the play. Glad Livakovic made the breakaway save this time. We are through and have many players back and new names. Like the little I saw of Sucic. Jury is still out on Sosa but have not given up.
What I originally liked about his crosses is he gets a nice trajectory loft on them, unlike Srna, but this is ridiculous, he is aiming for the roof and overshoots, but he did again, he provided the game winning cross, like for the world cup 2022. You have to give him that much.
Wales looked like 1950 Brazil against us and couldn’t hold onto a 1-0 lead at home against a team better off finishing in 2nd place.
This shows how brutal we were in that two game stretch last month.
Uruguay would beg to differ
Geez the Maksimir looks like a real dump. Why is our national stadium such a dive?
Maksimir was a dump 20 years ago. Embarrassing to see games there now. Zagreb needs a new stadium asap.
Long way away
Who cares what pot we in we are a powerhouse 13 out of 15 tournaments since independence
Im happy Dalic put in the young guys it will be a fight for the 23 or 26 man squad.
Modric outrunning a 19 year old to je sve veliki Luka
The main thing is that we have done it. Pot 3 for the draw on 2 December.
Worked out better for us in the end.
Pot 2 looks terrible…but Pot 4 suddenly has some difficult teams in it.
Agree Pot 4 – Serbia , Italy , Swiss, and most likely Ukraine, Wales ? Poland ?
PHEW.. that was nervy but we did it again, in usual croatian fashion, very nervously lo
Pack your bags boys, we are going to Euros!
Sucic, Baturina
I forgot Suĉić even existed.
Turkey has scored, its 1 – 1 in Cardiff.
Where did Sosa consistency go with his crosses, they are too many moon balls, and ground crosses need more pace to ever be effective.
Tukiyie with a stupid pushing foul results in a PK and 1-1 vs Wales.
Budimir now dropping back defense. The guy is a mad man
😬😁.
Where was he in the World Cup?
Armenia look dangerous going forward, we need another goal.
In the past, Kramarić would have selfishly taken a shot, but laid it off to the left wing for a play that almost resulted in another Budimir goal.
Was thinkin’ the same thing, noticed that.
Juranovic coming in??
Mario is in. Kramaric active without the ball.
Nice save by Liva but his positioning is horrid. He is terrible at reading where to position himself. He didn’t need to be out so far.
As I posted earlier Ivanusec needed to be subbed. Mario Pasalic in.
So ya
Keep more or less same squad and bring someone else in for ivanusec In 60th?
No way luka wants to sub off
Majer looking pretty good on that side
Liked his corners
I’m glad to see luka taking less to be honest
He’s actually good to maybe find a loose ball and create something else in the middle off a corner
Armenia is rattled but they can be dangerous off a counter
Livakovic got to make up his mind. He is getting into his second guessing now too much again
I’m subbing out Ivanusec for Marco Pasalic at the half. I’d take Stanisic out as well if there was a capable replacement. Maybe slide Sutalo over and bring in Erlic or vice versa?
Sosa in the lineup is like having an extra midfielder. A killer cross.
Our other guys are sending in crosses where Budimir can’t get enough pace on the ball on his headers.
if there is anyone I’m happy for its Budimir…he has earned that goal! He’s worked hard these past two games and good things come when you work hard!
I am equally happy for Sosa. He has earned his starting spot back.
he had one quality cross out of 10
We need another goal as insurance as it does not look like Turkey will do us any favors? Ivanusec is not playing well maybe time to bring on Marco Pasalic or Buturina.
Yep, thinking the same thing. Younger pasalic would be perfect
Too bad games were not decided by time of possession, and shots on goal, game over, need two goals to relax.
Send it sosa to bang it in budimir
If we had a couple mins more of that half it would have been another goal
Armenias only chance to regain composure
Hopefully the boys keep it coming
Besides sosa cross
He’s playing heroic with the defensive header and trying to dive head first at the ball in the box
Fuck im a nervous wreck watching this game lol as per usual.. thank heavens for that goal and for liva’s save off what looked like being the way we always concede, one long ball over the top on a break and they get straight through to a 1 on 1 with the keeper.. anyway 1-0 is still too nervy but we finished the half well./. plz give us another goal or two so i dont need to piss my pants the WHOLE second half
Ie we continue like this, can easily be 3-0 by FT, and I think it’s likely Turkey will score a goal.
IF we continue like this.
If we take our foot off the gas it will be pure stress.
Budimir from Sosa, who would a thunk
Haha about a few dozen people on this website
Sosa to budimir! Nailed it.
Not enough quality crosses into the box. Finally a good cross from Sosa and Budimir does the rest.
Good save by Livakovic to keep Armenia out.
Budimir!!!
Croatia is back to October Croatia. This is brutal.
No we will win. We just need 1 goal for confidence.
Not even close. We’re dominating ball possession today where we were unrecognizable in those two games and getting our asses kicked.
On the plus side, this might open things up for us.
Livakovic is an idiot. put himself in a bad position and then had to make a miracle save and then celebrates like he scored.
Livakovic MY GOD !!!
Budimir with a few headers on goal and active off-the-ball. 👍
Good defensive move by Sosa
Of course!, he then does a terrible cross on the other end.
https://m.livetv.sx/en/
This site is usually good
But the cro Armenia is fricking New Zealand and someone
But ya the Turkey match is on and saw it’s 1-0 for wales
Yeah I usually watch on viaplay sports and that has Ireland vs New Zealand for some reason
https://cdn.livetv732.me/export/webplayer.iframe.php?t=alieztv&c=216746&eid=170114735&lid=2270600&lang=en&m
Try This
Working for me
Thx Danny
Wales have scored. What does this mean for us if they beat Turkey?
If they win and we drop points today, Wales qualifies and we go to a March playoff.
Any stream? Please help! My usual site is down
https://www.soccerstreams.football/Croatia-vs-Armenia/19551
The game is free to watch in Spanish on the Vix app.
The match is on sling, free streaming. So you don’t have to subscribe. The commentators are Spanish though.
Nearly time for some xanax as starting to get nervous here lol
Boom! ….New it was coming!
Odds are 81% for Croatia victory, before kickoff. Maybe you only need half a dose, at least for now.
for the record, required a double dose almost as per expectation lol
I am also nervvy, lose all appetite haha
Hahah same.. i watched the game with my old man (5.45 am start here) and i had to go to work straight after and he’s like arent you having any breakfast, and i was like too nervous, can’t eat lol
The media is correct. Sosa is back at LB.
No other changes.
I see the game showing on screen on my fox sports app? You think this will work at 230?
Didn’t work for me – it said I need to purchase some plan.
Sorry off topic but in party mode. What’s your favourite soccer song mix???? HRVATSKE NAVIJACKE PJESME DJ IVANO & DJ ROKI Has been my pick lately. Let’s Go 🇭🇷🔥🇭🇷🔥 Have a great day everyone
I’m convinced a majority of our diaspora community know croatian words only because of these songs. They dont know what words mean but when you keep repeating the same songs you become familiar with them.
Puno hvala, Davore!! Do sad nismo znali sto to znaci biti pravih Hrvati. Sad smo od tebe naucili sto to zanci biti pravi Hrvat! Pun prosudivanje i kad nema nista pronicljivo da nam kazes samo ukorostis uvredama. Puno hvala nismo to vec znali bez tebe. Pravi karakter.
Now my Croatian surely isn’t perfect as I was born in the Diaspora but hopefully the main just gets across.
Gist***
Nema na čemu.
I’m sure those same diaspora also have checkered jerseys with another man’s family name on the back.
ZDS
my favorite is Ima Jedna Rijeka by Milo Hrnic.faken pumper tune
“Igraj moja Hrvatska” would be the most obvious one.
Love the live rendition of it on YouTube.
Yes the whole Zapresic Boyz catalog of songs is over the top, excellent and extensive. Really great fun family friendly videos.
I think it does matter who plays in what position. Playing players out of position is one of reasons that we need a win in the last game to qualify, inquires being the other. The days of starting Mario P and Vlasic on the wings needs to end and Dalic finally figured it out.
thats true but in those cases I think we were desperate and had few options.
Our success will only depend on our own performance. It doesn’t matter who plays at what position, we are the better team and we have to perform like we are. The one major difference maker in this game will be whether we play with a higher tempo or lower tempo. In order for us to get scoring chances we will need to move the ball quickly, force their defenders to constantly shift and re-adjust their positioning and hopefully one of our attackers will slip in a path, receive the ball and score!
When we lost to Turkey and Wales, I felt we lost based on our own lack of energy and work rate. there was little urgency and we sat back and played a very slow moving game. A few days ago we looked marvelous vs Latvia….not because they aren’t good but moreso because we had tons of energy and our guys were visibly working for each other, making tons of runs into open spaces (ie…Ivanusec for Majers goal) and constantly challenging their defenders to re-adjust.
I think we got this…at least I hope we do!
We did this exact thing the last time we played Armenia.
We didn’t give them an inch despite Armenia’s nonstop running.
Any links to watch would be much appreciated.
what has happened with sosa generally has been a big hit to us. When he entered the line up in world cup qualifying and played well, croatia initially went up a level and suddenly was capable of moving up both wings. Already in the world cup, things started looking a bit weird with sosa though and started making halilovic look like he had a right foot by comparison.
for a bit it looked like sosa, gvardiol, sutalo, stanisic would help transition croatia to a new era of success where both our midfield and attack talent would be sub optimal, but we’d be like serbia back when it had the “famous four” and rode that wave.
as covered, sosa has fallen off and rides the pine at ajax, sutalo often finds himself sitting alongside him playing pattycake on the sideline while others play football, stanisic still shows defensive potential especially with his speed but may never deliver the offense down the right side, and gvardiol is still solid but injury prone
With these four, it has become much more difficult to envision a croatian wall on defense that would last 10 years like we had hoped.
Yes, ipak, it may be too early to give up on the dream, becoming a reality. Cross our fingers. We are 45 minutes away from getting a clearer picture of our everchanging fortune, and I still refuse to believe that Sosa is washed up. Keep patiently waiting for a Kramaric hat trick.
2 0 krama i modric penal
Can we please eliminate all the Armenia has nothing to play for
Armenia coming to Maksimir and beating Croatia
Would be their equivalent to winning a World Cup Semi/Finals
They have the benefit of playing w/ freedom as no downside of they lose
Also – look at their squad – over half under 24 y.o.
U don’t think their individual motivation is to play the game of their life in order to try to prompt/secure a transfer to a better league/club, etc etc
Nobody is scouting the Armenian domestic league (and it’s not like an Armenian team is qualifying to play in Champions League) – so it’s games like this where they either make (or don’t make) their potential careers outside of the Armenian domestic league
Croatian media reporting that Gvardiol will move back to CB and that Sosa will play LB with Erlic dropping out. Sosa will contribute more to the attack however this will weaken us defensively. We need to win so I guess it makes sense ? however, if things do not work out people will be saying ” Never change a winning team”.
I dunno, I personally see Erlic as a starter not as a bench player. Plus Dalic won’t often sub defensive players, as he needs offensive gains and our defense has a lot of depth I think.
However, Sosa playing may hopefully offer something on the left side and could very well be a positive here for us. Maybe he is more motivated now having been placed on the bench for so long.
If Sosa can replicate what he did at Stuttgart and do the same with Budimir it could work out really well for us. So while I am a bit hesitant with taking out Erlic, this could actually work out well especially as people are saying Armenia is a shorter team.
If Sosa cant produce a positive performance today against an Armenia team with nothing to play for then we can give up on him.
I have not given up on Sosa, I think people forget Sosa was the one who made the cross in the Russia qualifying game. Without him we would not be in the 2022 world cup. I still hope he is going to surprise us. The Budimir and Sosa combination is a positive potential possibility the could reap rewards for both of their fortunes.
I reluctantly agree with this statement.
I think this is the last dance for this generation i hope we qualify and get out group stage atkeast round 16 win at euros would be sucess to me then 2026 need new faces i dont see Modrić being aat age 41 at world cup 2026 never say never.
I saw croatian portal put a oredicted 2026 team which looked something like
Livakovic Juranovic Sutalo Gvardiol Sosa Sucic Kovacic Baturina Ivanusec Simic Pasalic
Players also meantioned were Moro Beljo Ljubicic Majer Vidovic Bulat Petkovic Vuskovic Pasalic Vlasic Stojkovic Kacavena Biuk Erlic Pongracic Smolcic
Yes a new age is upon us but would still like to do the best we can, during this transition period, with Croatian people at the helm and on the field. The continued emigration, and low birthrate does not bode well, but we must be patient.
If we just sent all the current Croatians to Brazil and replaced them with some superior foreign athletes, as some have suggested, kao the Democratic party is doing to America so they can “win control”, like Gibraltar by 14-0, count me out I have no interest. I would rather have our people just survive year after year.
I would watch a Slovenian game any day of the week rather than France Incorporated, and would prefer to vacation there as well.
I bet you celebrated goals by the Amazon river crnci we had in Da Silva and Sammir.
I would just hope we can create our know talent, that goes for the likes of Rokas Pukstas and Dani Olmo, or any fair skin non-native. Has nothing to do with skin color if that is what you are trying to insinuate, although I would not have minded if the Swede Ibrahimovic would have played for us for the very same reason.
Sammir as far as I know, never made an international goal of merit and was slow. I am the first to admit I did like Da Silva and did root for him. Let’s not make it a habit to rely on outsiders is my position. France is not so much a country, but a large fossil of a colony maker, conqueror of people, when it was the fashionable thing to do.
Really hope they can put it all together, even with all of the recent challenges and changes. Hoping Majer and Kramaric can get hot, this is their time to shine.
This was also Orisic’s small window to shine, after Persic went down, in light of his key contributing moments at the world cup. The top right corner post needed insurance once he makes a cut back, he was deadly, as his hat trick with Dinamo could attest. Livaja international play ended before it started, etc.,etc., etc.
Time is merciless, is waits for no one. Next up! Glad we are still battling.
Whatever happens next, the last 8 years, what Croatia accomplished, cannot be overstated and will go down in infamy. A country that probably has maybe 100,000 men at the most between the age of 18-28, this is amazing.
Infamy: the state of being well known for something bad or evil
Cheers, Embarrassment…….. Sorry, for the wrong choice in word. Well, I guess it was bad if you were a large economy country that bought and sold it talent like in the stock market, that an upstart small country would do so well.
many Croatians love to point out how “small” Cro is or whatever. so faken annoying .Defeatist attitude ..Bottom line your 100k men bla bla is FLAWED .As if Croatian players only come from the current Croatia proper
Rain levels off before kick off and mid 40’s f.
Actually great weather considering November in Zagreb.
Dalic was praying for that 3rd goal in the first half at Lativia to get the fresh faces on the pitch earlier.
I pray the boys come out aggressive in the first half. Armenia has had a long and unsuccessful campaign. They need to know it’s on for us and off for them from the jump.
On a different note:
Clear penalty for Ukraine against Mudryk ? Looked like is leg was kicked by Italian defender. After all this VAR controversy.. not sure how that is not reviewed?
Yes, clear penalty even the Italian commentators on RAI TV were saying that they were very lucky that the penalty was not awarded.
I have a 7 week free trial starting today with FuboTV, but I don’t see the Croatia game anywhere on it.
DAZN has it in Canada.
It’s on fox soccer plus. I’m not sure fubo has that channel?
Thanks for the post, didn’t realize it until now. 👍
For those curious based on earlier threads
1- Italy still CAN finish in pot 3. But I think that pretty much depends on us. If we don’t qualify tomorrow, then Italy stays in pot 3. If we do qualify tomorrow we will likely go to pot 2 or 3 ourselves, and Italy would be pushed to pot 4. If we lose tomorrow but qualify anyway, then we will go to pot 4 and Italy would stay in pot 3. Bottom line, I don’t think there’s any way us in Italy can be in the same pot for the draw.
2- League A playoff is coming together. It will consist of :
a-Poland
b-Estonia
c-Either Croatia or Wales
d-either Finland, Ukraine, or Iceland (Wikipedia says a draw will take place to determine which of these 3 teams gets pulled up to league A)
Ok.
I was confused about the process of which League B team gets pushed into the League A playoff.
The ref is from Slovakia and the VAR assistants are from Italy. I’m never comfortable with refs from England and Italy officiating our matches.
Historically, more often than not when they officiate, we have bad luck. Hopefully VAR won’t be needed?
We should win, Armenia had a lot tougher match physically against Wales than we did against Latvia and also, they cannot qualify. Need to score an early goal to settle the nerves. I hear that rain is forecast, which is not ideal because wet pitch is a great leveler especially if the pitch is muddy and has surface water.
No Kova means a win. It’s in the bag.
He isn’t the worst player on the squad bud.
If Kova was utilized as a substitute he would have more of an impact the same way Pasalic does. The problem is that Dalic sees him as a starter. Kova’s two goals when we played Turkey should not be undervalued.
Those 2 goals against Turkey were a flukey aberration very far from Kova’s norm. As I’ve said before he fails both the eye test and his stats at both club level aswell as the NT are meagre. He’s a player that peaked really early in his career that has since regressed, it is what it is. He’s an overrated player that I’m glad is not playing, therefore we are going to win in his absence.