Croatia Starting XI vs. Azerbaijan: L. Kalinić – Brekalo, Vida, Ćaleta-Car, Barišić – Modrić, Kovačić, Rakitić – Kramarić, Perišić – Petković
It was a frustrating night for Croatian fans in Zagreb as Maksimir was quiet most of the night. Azerbaijan opened the scoring in the 19th minute and led at Maksimir for 25 minutes before Croatia finally got a trash goal in front of the net moment before the halftime whistle.
Andrej Kramarić came to the rescue in the 79th minute with a beautiful, curling shot just inside the right post to secure all three points for the Vatreni.
Post-Match Thoughts
The Vatreni travel north to Budapest on Sunday to take on Hungary at 1PM (ET) on Sunday.
In the highlight video above at 2:00 Kova plays a nice 1-2 with Raketa past 3 markers. He has a clear right footed dribble into the box at an angle, but doesn’t even look toward goal instead passing wide to perisic. It’s like someone conditioned him to not penetrate the penalty box??
@Pero
I do agree that Petkovic is a bit overrated. I’ve been watching the Dinamo games, and really, it’s been Orsic and Olmo that make him look good.
However, based on the extended highlights I watched yesterday, Petkovic looked ok (mind you, I didnt watch the full game).
He did manage to put a shot on net while being pulled down from behind. Unfortunately, his shot was accidentally blocked by Kramaric as it was on its way going into the net. It would have been a goal. It could have also been a penalty.
I think he may be a good player for qualifiers (especially against teams that bunker down)…but I doubt we’d ever see him feature against a tournament team.
To be fair to Caleta-Car….
The goal that Borna Barisic scored was all because of Caleta-Car’s excellent header on goal. Borna just happened to be the guy the ball dropped to in front of net (and swept it in).
Having a big defender who is an offensive threat on set pieces is always great to have.
I hate smotan defenders, but we have to see more of him before we judge.
Guys like Igor Tudor and Joe Simunic are big defenders who had a lot of brain fart like this too.
@Anon
Agreed about Caleta-Car’s horrid defending. The guy has a lot to learn, and it’s honestly surprising to me that he is getting praise for consistent play in Ligue 1; he must thrive on the help his CDM or LB provide. Not sure where one learned to give an attacker 5m of space entering the box…
Not impressed by Petkovic either. Some of you talk about how Rebic lacks technical skill and ball handling, but Petkovic makes Rebic look like Ronaldo. The guy has strength and speed and not much else, I think we’ve just been a little starry-eyed after seeing his bicycle kick goal for Dinamo and expected him to showcase that kind of magic consistently.
If we have Brozo, Lovren, and Rebic back in the starting XI Sunday, I expect a 2-0 victory. Modric= Kralj
I guess krama can take his one or two opportunities and run with them. He has the work horses around him who can get the ball. We are so used to the mandzo olic type press type striker
Hopefully dalic can instill some more press
But at the end of the day he scores big goals for us
He was still the main reason we beat Ukraine to get into World Cup playoff
@iggy yes saw the header. Was pretty sweet
I guess modric has more balls to go for goals these days
Let’s hope kovacic gets that one day
He knows he hasn’t scored since forever, I’m sure his head is messed up about it
I believe kova still has a purpose on this team…but as others have said his job is not safe from young bucks
Badelj has more to offer offensively at this point
But it kova can get those forward runs really working for him…,
@ Soul Champ
I too am puzzled by Kova’s timidity in the attacking third. In basketball parlance, he needs to “take it to the hole!” Rather than dish it off at the slightest sign of trouble.
Now I’m no expert! But for starters, when he’s in range, he can try and take shots aiming for the corners of the goal….
LAknats !!
Love the innovation homie.
Plus we can have “God HAlilović,” coming off the bench.
@ Andrej L
That is well said and refreshingly positive about Kovačić.
I do wonder how someone that athletic and skilled does not have a more lethal shot for goal?
It’s like every shot is a pass?
Also it seems in the final third he dribbles and then is always looking to pass to someone else? Call all the way and shoot and then when you have defenders attempting to block you lay it off. Intend to score and then all will open up naturally.
@ Iggy
Actually Modrić was 22.
Harry Redknapp found him a great spot as an all action #8 and the rest is legend.
Kramarić looks good.
He’ll score quite a few goals for us in this qualifying campaign.
Kova’s only 24 !? fuck me can’t believe he’s still that young. Had to look it up but yep, you’re right, he is. Seems like he’s been around forever. Keep forgetting he’s still really young.
btw did u fuckos see the MODRIC FLYING HEADER that just missed? 😉
I thought Kova had a decent game actually. He’s only 24 and didn’t Modric move to Tottenham at 24. He put in a good defensive shift actually. Even though his turnover led to a goal, it was in the attacking third. That’s the difference between him and 26 yo Brozovic. Brozo scores goals when he gets into the attacking third while Kova hasn’t scored one since he dropped Pique in summer league?? But I agree, might be tough for him to be a starter with guys like Vlasic coming up. Still an amazing talent and just happy to have that caliber of a player as a borderline starter for now.
Dalic is the real stupid with no innovation!
You call Brekalo at RB is one of brain enlightenment?
HE seems to have an attitude to keep staying in a limitation
4-4-2 formation rather than tries to move on with 3-5-2…
look at how beautiful LAknat tactic & strategy which helps to accommodate every player on the team to their max!
…………A Rebic………Kramaric…………
…Perisic……….Modric……….Brekalo…
…………..Vlasic………..Rakitic…………..
……..Vida.……..Lovren………Caleta…….
………….……..Livakovic………………….
Notes:
– Vlasic and Rebic could switch position!
– vs Wales, I will assign Rebic to man marking Bale!
This should have done before as Rebic man marking Mbappe
The chance Croatia would win WC 2018 = 80%
@ Razbijač
I used to ask myself the same question about Kovačić playing on the wing when we had ZERO wingers other than Perišić and he was struggling too back in the day.
It’s like he is missing the attack gene?
Inter used to try him on the wing and he did nothing.
Brozovic has risen to an elite #6.
Kovačić is stuck in a place where passing percentage means something.
I am not writing any nogometaš off until there 29!
But Isus when are you going make something happen?
Brekalo has the pedal down every time he touches the ball.
Vlašić wants to step on your chest to score.
Rebić wants to run through you.
Kovačić wants to look cute?
I pray Zidane takes him back and gives another shot to be great.
I pray hostile stadion wakes up some of cruise control guys.
New tactics Sunday please !!
I don’t think Kova will ever be an automatic starter.
Rakitić has another World Cup in him and Brozović is better than Kovačić (and is around his age too).
Vlašić is looking very good, is younger, and you can argue is more impactful than Kovačić right now as well…
and it’s only a matter of time before one of Moro, Palaversa, Majer, Pašalić, Bašić takes a step forward and turns out to be a starting caliber national team player. Even worse if Dani Olmo comes over. It only takes one to push Kova out.
Kovačić is a good, but he plays a position where we are at our strongest.
Unless you are World Class, you are never going to be an automatic starter for us in central midfield.
Olmo
Is it just me, or does Kovacic look like Eddie Munster??
Anyway, Kova’s performance would have been serviceable/ok yesterday if he hadn’t lost the ball that led to a goal.
I remember he made a similar mistake against Spain when he gave the ball away and they scored making it 2-0, and things just got worse from that moment on….
Like it or not, Kova will prolly be a starter once Rakitic and Modric retire. Heck, given his age, he might even be the first Hrvat to play in 4 World Cups.
I’m also surprised given his pace and dribbling, he never became a winger. What good are those attributes as a DM???
Young guys, watch how Rebic pressures in the lead up to Kramaric’s goal. He loses ball but never gives up on the play.
That’s how you play for our National Team
That’s how offensive opportunities arise
That’s how we will be successful in the future
Without that, we likely tie Azerbeijan in Zagreb?!
You’re a junk goal
@Ernest
Kovacic started the break that gave Azerbaijan the lead. Then we had Caleta-Car stick his boot out and deflect the shot. That’s why it beat Kalinic. Terrible turnover by Kovacic and then bone head defending by Caleta-Car.
I still have high hopes for Caleta-Car regardless of the play and hope he learns from it. Kovacic on the other hand I have zero expectations for. He was dejected on the bench because he knows his place is under pressure with Brekalo & Vlasic who IMO should already be ahead of him on the depth charts.
The old Kovacic from Inter is LONG gone. Nothing about his play is positive or progressive on the pitch. He plays completely negative.
@SoulChamp-Brekalo needs all the practice at D he can get. That has been my biggest critique of the guy over the last year. These qualifiers give him a great chance to get comfortable at RB, and will help him at LW or RW in the future. I am sure, all the space he gets to work his magic was actually a pleasant surprise.
New Croatian NT rite of passage=You want to be our next LW or RW? Show us you are willing and able to play LB or RB first.
Yeah. Watching Modric is so inspiring. Hasn’t lost one step-amazing!
@Maminjo-thank goodness, but it sounds like a good chick drink. Petkovic was first guy to show he knows how to press. He had a few good turns, and some good passes. Don’t think he can be Mandzukic, but at least he tries.
duje can caleta car these nuts
So I guess we’ve seen the end of Livajačoptini
@ BZ
Mandžukić has not lost one ounce of his athletic power.
He could always run .. just not explosive to beat you with pace.
He still wins every header and was handful in the box against Athletico.
His big game pedigree goes without saying.
Brekalo at RB could have been the best move of Dalić tenure as our coach.
He took on defenders at will and had a few good shots and some decent crosses.
One nervy back pass down the stretch was the only sign of inexperience.. but I have seen all types of defenders make that mistake.
Our system needs attacking full backs.
Like you said get all that talent on the pitch.
Brekalo is the goods.
Can you imagine how your game expands playing with Modrić ?
Question:Who puts a super talented Winger (Brekalo) at a wingback position like RB?
Answer: Dalic, Real Madrid coaches including Zidane, every successful youth coach in America, BZ, all my championship club teams, every youth academy coach in europe etc etc
Glad to see Brekalo getting time to practice his defensive skills. He wasn’t tested, and had some clumsy challenges, but I’d rather see him there than on the bench.
#GetYourBestTalentsOnThePitch
Petkovic>Santini>Livaja, but not even close to Mandzukic.
Favorite Petkovic highlight, when he screamed at Kramaric to help high press…loved it! Kramaric needs to learn that skill to earn my total respect.
Call me biased, but I was watching a bunch of Serie A games the other week, and I swear Mandzukic looked like the fastest guy in the league that weekend ala Rebic in the bundesliga.
………….Kramaric……Rebic…………….
Brekalo….Modric….Brozovic….Vlasic
Barasic…..Caleta…..Vida…..Bartolec
……………………Kalinic……………………
Petkovic has jersey yanked down right in front of goal?
How is that not called?
Is there VAR in qualifying?
It’s been a while since we played our C game against a D team and actually get 3 points.
Hungry will be fighting for their lives Sunday.
We need next level intensity.
Seems Perišić and Rakitic have a cruise mode for Croatia?
Hope hostile Hungry stadion gets them pumped.
Rebić needs to start and maybe Vlašić.
Kramaric is a world class finisher.
That goal was classic Kramaric .. deft touch to create room for curler passed goal keeper.
I can live with his shoot first mentality as over the last two years he has scored big goal after big goal.
I never thought at 2 meters height that Kalinic could give up a goal at him over his head from that distance?
It was great strike but it seemed saveable?
I too am curious to see a tweak in tactical alignment Sunday?
Dalic needs to crack the bunker conundrum.
The final third we need to be more dynamic.
Brozovic needs to be involved as well as he could be the best #6 in the world right now?
This is when I love those Italian tacticians.
Keep Hungry off balance.
They scouted us one way .. with this 4-2-3-1 .. hit them with a 4-4-1-1 or something.
Brozovic due for an out the box golasso or two?
DID U GUYS SEE MODRIC’S HEADER??
I was impressed with Petkovic. Decent link up play. Would drop deep to receive the ball and push the line forward as well. Good start for a guy who we didn’t expect too much from. Should’ve been awarded a penalty too. Maybe didn’t get it because of an earlier dive.
Kova was decent in my opinion. He did dribble the ball too far (field was wet/fast) which lead to the turn over that lead to the goal. However, Caleta-Car could have put more pressure on the ball especially since Kova was sprinting back to provide cover.
Brekalo was clearly there only because they were going to bunker. Lost the ball a couple of time in the 1st half but did much better in the 2nd half.
Modric was a boss all game. Everybody else played to their level for the most part.
For a long time before the world cup people including myself did not want mandzukic in the starting line up. He barely scored and played meh most games. Now hes a god to everyone. Petkovic will be better for the NT imo
Despite Hungary getting 16 shots on goal, no real threats from their forwards, goaltender let in a weak second goal and poor coverage on the first Slovak goal. I think Slovakia might beat Wales
It was a scrappy win, no excuses for a performance like that against a poor quality team. Despite the injuries, suspensions, and recent formation changes by Dalic, we can’t afford to play like that again. It’s better to get the bad matches out of the way. I watched Slovakia play Hungary, they looked strong and aggressive and got a 2-0 win. No doubt if Croatia play like this they’ll struggle against Slovakia or Wales.Lineup should be Kalinic, Vida, Lovren, Barisic, Jedvaj, Caleta-Car, Modric, Perisic, Rakitic, Vlasic, Kramaric, and Rebic. Disappointed with Kovacic & Rakitic performance today.
I’ve been harsh on Kovacic but thought he did ok cleaning up a few messy situations albeit against a bunkering Azerbaijan team. He is who he is and that is a player that doesn’t belong on Real Madrid or Chelsea.
Dalic is really stupid-
why always keep formation 4-2-3-1 with left and right back!
time to change it to 3-5-2
…………A Rebic………Kramaric…………
…Perisic……….Modric……….Brekalo…
…………..Vlasic………..Rakitic…………..
……..Vida.……..Lovren………Caleta…….
………….……..Livakovic………………….
Notes:
Vlasic and Rebic could switch position!
3 points is 3 points. The crosses from the flanks as well as set pieces were poor most of the game, even though we scored off a corner. Vrsaljko, and as much as we bitch about him, Strinic are gonna be missed. Overall we just looked slow I thought. Set pieces defensively are still a HUGE problem. The last couple of corner kicks in our box just had that feel that something bad was about to happen and almost did as the Azeri defender headed way up and over completely unmarked at the 6. That cant happen. Hopefully was just rust, new faces, and a bit of underestimating of opponent but this was the one match to pad the goal difference and we barely walked away with a win. More questions than answers after this one.
Kovacic is who he is. I don’t know what people expect from him. What did he do wrong today? I’m not the biggest fan of his but we need to stop expecting him to be modric. He’s serviceable but was no worse than Rakitic today but Rakitic wound get the same criticism. I love Rakitic by the way so he gets a pass in my book lol.
@Ernest
Must have watched a different game then myself. I thought Kovacic was horrendous and likely dropped further down the pecking order. As a matter of fact, he’s been abysmal for ages now.
Brekalo and Vlasic should both be ahead of him on the depth chart IMO.
Rakitic was rather poor today. Made a couple nice passes but looked slow, played to negative and skied far too many balls. Petkovic was just ok. Like a way worse version of Mandzukic.
Best players were Modric(after the first 20 minutes), Kramaric & Brekalo.
Rebic and Vlasic made impacts in limited time as well.
People need to relax on the Kalinic hate. Team is a mess with injuries and that Spain game is not a fair indication on his abilities. They quit in front of him. He will be just fine. Definitely not on the Livakovic train. I’ll pass.
Is livakovic Better then Kalinic looking to the future?
How did Petkovic look? I was hoping for a more skilled type mandzo…but maybe not as strong as someone else suggested
Seems like some defensive tAlent coming soon nuff at the backs but can we hold the fort till some of the young guns come up
Maybe like someone suggested we play 3 at the back one day with brekalo and perisic making runs up the flanks
Will watch the Hungary match for sure.
The Mađari lost an important game to Slovakia today. Losing a second game in a row to start the qualifying campaign would be deadly for them.
It’s in Hungary, and they’ll want to at least gain a point. Will be interesting to see if Hungary opens up and tries to go for a win against us, or if they sit back and hope to score a draw.
I did watch the replay and a few things I noticed. Caleta Car is extremely slow. Not good enough for me and not even close to the level of Lovren. I sincerely hope we don’t have to count on him in a big moment. Barisic was also actually really bad. The fact that Azerbaijan barely crossed midfield is the reason he wasn’t exposed. The goal was a fluke. Before everyone thinks I’m being super negative, here are a few things I liked. Kovacic was actually very good. Had a couple of dribbles that broke the lines. Modric played his standard good game. Rakitic was meh but good enough. Krama selfish but a banger for the win so all is forgiven. Petkovic was actually very good as well. I like his hold up and link up play. Has to be a little stronger in the box for his size.
Overall a good result with a mixed team. Oh before I forget, Brekalo might be the future of the national team. I pray to God we do not waste him at right back.
Did u guys see that header modric nearly scored with? Fucking LOL I so wish it went in.. has he ever scored.a header before?
WE DID IT BOYS WE WON !
We actually played pretty good and were shoooting left and right..perhaps watching the game will better your view of the match…
Yea, I saw they had 75% possession and very few shots on goal.
Then I saw that Kovačić was playing, so I assumed the worst and that we were doing our typical sideways passing and looking for that perfect goal.
Guys like Brozović and Rebić are the types that don’t care about perfection and just throw shit on goal (which works out in most cases) and we didn’t have them in there.
But I didn’t watch the game, so it’s good to hear that it was just us being unlucky against a solid bunker team.
The better news is that we got one game with them out of the way. I can see Slovakia or Wales losing points to them.
@Maminjo…I wouldn’t call it frustrating…they dominated the game…look at stats
Kovacic did a good job of cleaning up a lot of deflections. He looked like he was crying, though, when he was on the bench. Maybe he felt that he did not do enough to help Croatia score. He made some good runs on his own, but it was clear that his job was defensive and that the creative play is better left to other teammates.
Azerbaijan will take points away from at least two teams from this group.
Good that we got the win, and glad I didn’t watch this likely frustrating game.
Everyone played well except Perisic was mediocre.
Kramaric, Brekalo and Modric were the best!
Car-caleta, and Petkovic were good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8obozIbfMM&feature=youtu.be
Highlights of game
Did kova even play?
@the great anon doom….yeah, our opponents tonight played super defensively…we had like 74% possession….we dominated tonight…Ajmo Vatreni!!
Can someone who watched give an update on who stood out…MOTM.
Who was a let down ?
Was kova invisible?
Caleta -car ?
Three points is the most important thing. We are notoriously slow starters in euro qualifying anyway. On to Sunday. Rust fell off today hopefully.
Hungary took 16 shots against Slovakia, so they are not such a defensive team. It should be a better game.
I think our guys played very well!
The monkey is off our back. No stress. Full of confidence and motivated!
Best team in the world right now!
I was not worried one bit, when we went down a goal. In fact, I yawned….
THIS IS HRVATSKA! And there was no doubt in my mind we were going to win. We totally dominated the match.
I think this was just a dress rehearsal, expect Croatia’s Defense to be tighter in the next match.
Brekalo at RB was alright, he lost the ball a coupla times, but made some key plays. He started to get better as time went on, as he got more comfortable with the position.
I just hope his coach at Wolfsburg doesn’t get any funny ideas, and starts playing Brekalo at RB–there goes our next Persic!
Slovakia beat Hungary 2-0.
It was not a good game, but the important takeaway is the three points. It’s more important to win consistently than to win by wide margins. Because Azerbaijan is a team that knows bunkering and counterattacks are their only chance, it can’t be indicative for the next match. Hungary will play a different game, and so will we.
Whew! I’ll take it.
Great effort by Rebic to keep the ball in play, deflecting the ball to Kramaric for the goal. Kramaric’s dribbling is amazing.
These Ass your boy Jonny’s might actually take points from others at home.
kramabitch!
Mandzukic would have been good for this game how mny air balls qwe have
We are playing good, the ref is on our side…ten corners and no goal
Our own player blocked the ball from going in………
We rarely crap the bed 2 games in a row …this might help us in Hungary,and hopefully they awaken from their stupor Sunday.
Look at all those beautiful Croatian women, works better than Viagra!
This one too :
http://onthefly.info/hdd4.html
Ajmo Hrvatska! lets show the world that it wasnt just a plunder that we made it to the finals of the wc, lets develop that mentality of a winning team!
http://live.harleyquinnwidget.com/streamvideo12/euro-2020-croatia-hd-live-stream-4881157.html
check this link out,, without buffer! <
this one is about 90 seconds behind, but perfect so far and in english
http://onthefly.info/hdd4.html
Yeah lots of buffering on my link.
Seizure inducing shit..
I’ve been using the first link on the reddit soccer streams. It’s not in our tongue but when it’s not glitching its good.
He was last seen ordering drinks back home in perfect Croatian tongue
I thought ziva died??!!
The truth = ziva istina
Anyone have a good link
Everything I tried keeps freaking buffering too much
Just missed our goal
Fuck
No it was the other side. Awesome shot under the bar. Could’ve closed him down better.
Did they score on the Brekalo side?
If so, Dalić is gonna look real stupid.
There you go! Thankfully I don’t buy into Ante’s hype
Typical? Since when?
lol losing ??? typical Croatia.
We’re all over them but we need Vrsaljko in that spot not a left footed attacker.
Azerbaijan with a great chance on a counter down our right side.
Truth Troll says they MIGHT lose a game.
It MIGHT rain sometime in the next couple weeks.
Bold prediction oracle of Troll.
Of course they MIGHT lose, they also MIGHT win, or MIGHT draw any given game.
Petkovic and Brekalo with the start. Rebic on the bench!!
Let’s go! Let’s start this campaign out right
Well i speak in probabilities which means I’m right over the long run but not every time
Croatia will lose a game in qualifying though. That i am very confident about… Might even be in Hungary this weekend…. But i surely hope not
A 6-0 scoreline seems about right.
ugh so it starts at 8.45pm after all? couldve slept another hour
iggy, r u in LA. 12:45 PST
wait it’s 7.54pm zagreb tiem isnt it? has the game started or not? cant find a stream
ej im on the bench. anyone have stream available?
Anyone use net tv? What channel
Truth Troll made 3 points in the other thread; the points generally obvious to anyone but the couple of folks here that are unreasonably optimistic here… and they are also fairly general in nature, so that Truth Troll can later claim he was right.
To Troll’s points.
1) things never go totally smoothly. We will screw up at some point. Every time we assume “lako ćemo” (as some are doing with this group), we manage to complicate things.
2) Dalić is not being in as good a position as a few seem to think. Another generality that is pretty much “no duh” to most. Things are not as rosy as a couple here seem to think. Our stars are aging, and many of our young guys expected to be the next big things have failed to develop as hoped.
3) unexpected things MIGHT happen on a counter attack by lesser opponents as a result of guys playing out of position. Again.. way to go out on a limb Nostradamus.
To sum it up: Truth Troll thinks we shouldn’t be as overconfident and wildly optimistic as a couple here seem to be, things MIGHT not go perfectly.
He will then at some point declare he “was right again” and everybody hated on him for it.
Making vague generalities as predictions or actual accurate statements is not why people hate you Troll. They hate you because you are a troll, a douchebag, and an asshole.
https://www.reddit.com/r/redsoccer/
There are usually plenty of options for streams here.
Link for canada?
Lovren is suspended for the first game you BUFFOOOON
Lovren won’t play tonight.
Kramarić
Perišić Rebić Brekalo
Rakitić Modrić
Barišić Caleta-Car Lovren Vida
Livaković
Or play Bartolec at RB and Vida at CB with Lovren.
Kramarić
Perišić Vlašić Rebić
Rakitić Modrić
Jedvaj Rog?
Vida Caleta-Car
Livaković