October 8, 2021 - Croatia beats Cyprus 3:0 in the first match of the October World Cup qualifying campaign in Larnaca on Friday. 

After a great September qualifying campaign in which they collected seven points against the three toughest opponents in Group H, Croatia met Cyprus tonight at Aek Arena in Larnaca. Several hundred Croatia fans were in the stands. 

Slobodan Kadic

Before this match, Croatia topped the group with 13 points, while Russia has the same number of points, with a slightly weaker goal difference. Only the first in the group qualifies directly for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, while the second-placed enters additional qualifications.

Lineups:

Cyprus: Michail – Andreou,Soteriou, Ioannou – Psaltis, Artymatas, Kyriakou, Avraam – Papoulis, P. Sotiriou, Pittas

Croatia: Livaković - Stanišić, Ćaleta-Car, Gvardiol, Sosa - Brozović, Kovačić - Vlašić, Modrić, Perišić – Kramarić

In the first minute of the match, debutant Stanišić made an almost catastrophic mistake, and Sotiriou rushed towards the goal. Fortunately, Gvardiol caught up and managed to block his shot from the edge of the penalty area. 

Croatia's attacking midfield was trying to speed up and control the game, while the entire Cyprus defense stayed back to prevent any chances. 

A great attacking play by Croatia in the 12th minute saw Vlašić find Kramarić at the top of the box, though he shot over the post.

Perišić shot a minute later which was deflected for Croatia's first corner kick. There was another great chance for Sosa who shot from outside the box, before Ćaleta-Car's header just missed. 

Croatia's second corner came in the 16th minute. Modrić dribbled through the Cyprus defense to the goal line which went out for another Croatia corner a minute later. 

Vlašić had a great chance in the 19th but shot over the goal post after forcing his way around the Cyprus defense. 

A tremendous effort from Perišić in the 20th, shooting near post with a brilliant save by the Cyprus goalkeeper. 

Slobodan Kadic

Croatia had their chance in the 22nd minute - a Perišić assist from the goal line found Kramarić in the penalty area for what we thought was a 1:0 lead, but it was ultimately called offside after VAR. 

Perišić had another great chance in the 30th minute after a superb through ball from Gvardiol which was played out for a goal kick. 

Kovačić was booked with a yellow card in the 33rd minute, meaning he'll miss Croatia's next match against Slovakia at home. 

Kramarić shot at the keeper a minute later. 

Cyprus had a dangerous attack in the 37th minute which the Croatia defense sent out for the first Cyprus corner. Cyprus was certainly playing with more intent as the match neared halftime. A fortunate offside play nearly saw a Cyprus goal, but Livaković saved the day. 

After a worrying 10 or so minutes, Croatia picked up their intensity again in the final 5 minutes of the first half. A free kick for Croatia with two minutes to go was cleared by the Cyprus defense. 

Croatia's best chance of the game came in the 1st minute of injury time. A brilliant Modrić ball found Sosa who shot, forcing a cluster in the front of the goal. Kramarić almost scored for 1:0 but was denied by the keeper. 

But Croatia got their goal moments before the halftime whistle. Perišić dribbled into the box and scored far post for 1:0! 

Slobodan Kadic

Slobodan Kadic

There were no changes for Croatia going into the second half. 

Croatia's first corner of the second half came in the 49th minute.

Croatia was awarded a penalty in the 52nd minute. Kramarić pushed into the box and was taken down by two Cyprus players. Luka Modrić stepped up to the penalty spot and was denied by the Cyprus goalkeeper to keep the game 1:0. 

Croatia had a series of beautiful one-twos in the 57th minute but a cluster of Cyrpus players stayed back to deny any chances. Vlašić shot near post a minute later. 

Zlatko Dalić subbed off Kovačić for Pašalić in the 62nd minute. Andrej Kramarić was subbed off for Marko Livaja. while Nikola Vlašić came off for Josip Brekalo in the 67th minute. 

Slobodan Kadic

Sosa had a brilliant chance in the 70th minute but chose to play Livaja instead of taking the shot, which the keeper easily defended.

Croatia continued with stellar chances in the minutes that followed, all denied by the brilliant Cyprus goalkeeper. 

However, a Croatia corner in the 79th minute brought just the luck they needed. Gvardiol found the back of the net from the cross for 2:0! 

Dalić subbed off Modrić for Ivanušec in the 82nd minute, while Brozović came off for Kristijan Jakić. 

To confirm Croatia's dominance during the match, Livaković's first save came only in the 84th minute!

The referee added 3 minutes of injury time, and Croatia wasn't finished yet. A brilliant ball from Brekalo in the box found Livaja who tapped it in for 3:0!

Croatia maintained possession to end the match in their favor. Goals by Perišić, Gvardiol, and Livaja confirmed the 3:0 victory.

Croatia will face Slovakia next in Osijek on Monday.

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October 6, 2021 - Captain Luka Modrić returns to Croatia for the first time since the EURO 2020 match against Spain! 

Ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Cyprus and Slovakia, the Croatia national team held a training, also attended by captain Luka Modrić. reports Gol.hr.

Since he missed the September qualifiers, Modrić played his last game in the national team jersey at the European Championship against Spain in June.

Goran Stanzl/PIXSELL

Everyone could hardly wait for Luka's return to the national team, confirmed by assistant Vedran Ćorluka. Modrić arrived at the national team camp on Monday night, and on Tuesday night, had his first training session with Croatia after a long break.

©️ The captain @lukamodric10 at #Croatia practice session ?? #BeProud #Vatreni❤️‍? pic.twitter.com/IdFKAVTKzG

— HNS (@HNS_CFF) October 5, 2021

Unfortunately, the national team lost Josip Juranović and Dejan Lovren before the October qualifiers, while Domagoj Vida will miss one game. Thus, Josip Stanišić, a Bayern player and the new star of Croatia, could make his debut as a right back.

"Lovren and Juranović will not come to the gathering. We agreed, due to their injuries and the current situation that they stay at their clubs and train. Juranović dropped out, and Lovren will not be with us for the first week, and we will see if he will be OK for the match against Slovakia. We have a situation with stoppers, but I wouldn’t say a problem either because we have a lot of quality in that part of the game. We activated the callups to Ćaleta-Car and Pongračić, they are in full training, although they did not play all the games," said Dalić on Monday. 

Coach Zlatko Dalić sees Stanišić in the first match against Cyprus, and maybe against Slovakia, played in Osijek on October 11 at 20:45.

Unfortunately, Mislav Oršić missed Tuesday's training due to ankle discomfort, and the medical team did not want to take any risks. However, the Dinamo player should be ready for the qualifiers against Cyprus and Slovakia.

Tuesday's training also featured goalkeeper Simon Sluga, who arrived as a replacement for the injured Ivica Ivušić.

On Monday, Croatia also trained at the Hitrec-Kacian auxiliary ground at Maksimir Stadium. Nikola Vlašić's 24th birthday celebration enhanced the already great atmosphere. 

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September 20, 2021 - Captain Luka Modrić returns for Croatia's October World Cup qualifiers against Cyprus and Slovakia.

The Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić invited 24 players, with six call-ups, to the qualifying matches against Cyprus and Slovakia in October, reports HNS.

After a very successful September, sitting at the top of the group with seven points in three games, the Croatia national team awaits the continuation of the European qualifications for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Croatia will play in Larnaca near Cyprus on October 8, and then they will host Slovakia on October 11 in Osijek.

The national team will gather on October 4 in Zagreb, where they will train until October 7 and then travel to Larnaca. They will travel to Osijek immediately after the match against Cyprus.

After missing the September qualifying campaign due to injury, Dalić's player list is again led by captain Luka Modrić.

"After a successful September, of course, we now welcome the new gathering with a lot of optimism, positive energy, and confidence. However, we must be aware that all the good we have done must now be confirmed with six more points and that we can only do so with the full concentration, approach, and togetherness we had at the last gathering. We have already beaten Cyprus and Slovakia in this cycle, and we accept the role of favorites in both games, but I repeat - we must be at our maximum. I am convinced that the invited players will successfully respond to this challenge, and of course, we are especially pleased with the return of Luka Modrić, who as a player and leader is of inestimable importance to us," said coach Zlatko Dalic.

List of players for Cyprus and Slovakia:

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivica Ivušić (Osijek), Ivo Grbić (Lille).

Defenders: Domagoj Vida (Bešiktaš), Dejan Lovren (Zenit), Borna Barišić (Glasgow Rangers), Josip Juranović (Celtic), Mile Škorić (Osijek), Filip Uremović (Rubin Kazan), Joško Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Josip Stanišić (Bayern).

Midfielders : Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovačić (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozović (Inter), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta), Nikola Vlašić (West Ham), Luka Ivanušec (Dinamo Zagreb), Kristijan Jakić (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Strikers: Ivan Perišić (Inter), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Josip Brekalo (Torino), Mislav Oršić (Dinamo Zagreb), Marko Livaja (Hajduk).

Callups: Duje Ćaleta-Car (Olimpique de Marseille), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Antonio Mirko Čolak (Malmö), Simon Sluga (Luton Town), Kristijan Lovrić (Gorica), Nikola Moro (Dinamo Moskva).

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March 22, 2021 - Coach Zlatko Dalić and Croatia gather in Zagreb ahead of the March 2022 World Cup Qualifications.

The Croatia national football team gathers in Zagreb today before starting the qualification cycle for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They will kick off their qualification campaign against Slovenia (Ljubljana, March 24), Cyprus (Rijeka, March 27), and Malta (Rijeka, March 30).

Coach Zlatko Dalić is looking forward to the gathering after a four-month break.

"After four months, we are together again. It makes us all happy; we can't wait for the national team's actions," said Zlatko Dalić, who lost Dinamo striker Bruno Petković on the eve of an important match against Slovenia. He will miss all three upcoming matches.

"After Ante Rebić dropped out of the original list due to injury, Bruno Petković, who injured his shoulder during yesterday's game against Gorica, has now dropped out. Unfortunately, we were left without two important players in the attack. Bruno has been in very good shape lately, and his injury has significantly disrupted the preparation for the match against Slovenia. We will miss him, but I hope for a quick recovery to at least help Dinamo in the Europa League. With Bruno, our game is different, but what we have, we will make work. Let's continue to put together a team without him and Rebić. Fortunately, everything is fine with the arrival of Perišić and Brozović from Inter; we expect them at today's training. All in all, we have three important matches ahead of us, of which the most demanding is against Slovenia, especially since we will gather only in the evening, and we will play on Wednesday. However, it's the same for our opponent."

The goals are well known.

"Our goal is known, and we do not deviate from it; it is qualifying for Qatar. So, we have to win points, and with what dynamics, it is less important; the most important thing is to qualify. It is important to start well; I expect us to be very motivated, responsible, and serious because that is the only way we can get a result. ”

Dinamo winger Mislav Oršić drew attention to himself with a masterful hattrick against Tottenham in the Europa League round of 16.

"I have already spoken several times about Dinamo and Mislav, about their great form and game. Oršić deserved to be in the national team, and of course, he will have minutes. Everything I thought about, everything I planned, falls into the water when someone gets hurt. So, I’ll wait a bit, talk to the players. We haven't been together for a long time; I don't know all the players' conditions. We were thinking about doing things one way, but now things are changing. We will have to make some modifications, and Mislav is certainly in the narrowest circle for the match against Slovenia. He had a difficult game against Tottenham, he played 120 minutes, he played against Gorica again, so I have to think about that. In any case, Mislav is a crucial player, who with his form and quality, can help, and I expect that from him. We have three games; we have to be smart and wise to distribute the players' strength and energy. We must not wear out because we have a hellish cycle, and the players come from an equally hellish rhythm anyway, so they are not in optimal condition. We have to be careful about that.”

Dalić's assistant, Ivica Olić, is one of the most serious candidates for the new coach of CSKA Moscow.

"Olić and I spoke about this on Saturday. I will be sorry if Ivica Olić leaves the national team and my staff. He means a lot to me and helps me. However, if Ivica decides to take this step, he will have my full support and my help in every way. It is a big challenge for him, it is a big club, but it is also a big thing for the Croatia national team and football. If he stays, I'll appreciate him even more. No, I wasn’t thinking about whether someone would replace him; we’ll see what happens. I am not thinking about new solutions, I am waiting for the situation to develop, and then I will decide. "

The match against Slovenia is the most difficult exam in March.

"First of all, none of these three games will be easy. Today there are no easy opponents. We have to enter every game as seriously, motivated, and disciplined as possible. Of course, Slovenia is the toughest opponent in this first cycle of matches. I appreciate and respect their coach, Matjaž Kek, who did great things with Rijeka and the Slovenia national team. It is a complex team, but we are the favorites, and we have to impose ourselves in Ljubljana. Slovenia has one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Oblak, then the very tough Iličić. They are quite a tall team; they have a good jump, they are aggressive and compact in the block. I expect a really tough match, but we have to show the right face. There won’t be much time for training and preparation, but we’ve been together for a long time, we know each other well, and we have to go for the win. Our goal is known; we cannot escape the role of favorites. We have to start winning points. As World Cup finalists, we are a challenge to everyone, and we must be reminded of the match against Hungary in which we suffered a defeat. Slovenia will be a good, aggressive opponent who wants to win. It's the beginning of qualifications; no one knows who is in what condition, it will be inconvenient. However, there are no key matches, each carries three points, and points are important to us for the final ranking."

Since there is not enough time for more serious training until the match against Slovenia, Dalić indicates that he will pay a lot of attention to the players.

"We will have to talk a lot, solve some things in meetings. There is no time for innovation, but all the players who have played in the Nations League know each other well. We know what we want. We will play against Slovenia with the strongest possible line-up, and we will go against Cyprus and Malta differently. Vrsaljko in the starting lineup? I’m waiting to see his condition. I’m aware he can’t help us in all three games because he’s not in rhythm. However, Šime's arrival is of great importance; he will certainly play at least one game. I am thinking of starting him in the match against Slovenia, but first, I have to see what condition he is in. I will not force it if he is not one hundred percent ready," concluded Dalić.

Source: HNS

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