June 21, 2022 - It's the first day of summer, which can only mean one thing - we need to find the best places to cool off in Split. And one foolproof lunch spot that never disappoints? Riva favorite Brasserie on 7. 

The summer solstice has hit Split as we celebrate the official start of a new season, though with the busy crowds in the city center since Easter weekend and temperatures hitting 30 degrees Celsius for what feels like months, summer never felt too far away this time around. 

As we welcome back travelers from all parts of the world with tourism in full swing, we are reminded of the record 2019 season before the pandemic rattled our adventures. Our only issue now is finding a sanctuary in Split to kick back, cool off, and indulge - but Brasserie on 7 is perfect for just that. 

While it may be situated on Split's most famous street, this Riva favorite continues to impress year after year, with standout menus crafted by French American Executive Chef Alexandre Ange. And this summer is no different. 

We already know all about the meal that made Brasserie on 7 famous - brunch. But with eggs benedict, brioche french toast, and shakshuka on the menu, we're not surprised. Brasserie also ensures options for guests looking to stay healthy on holiday, with acai bowls, yogurt and homemade granola, and 100% fresh fruit juices to keep you glowing and going in the summer sun. 

The lunch and dinner menu honors local produce and modern takes on Dalmatian classics to add a touch of flair to your fare. The decadent prawn tartare is dressed with wasabi mayo, red pepper coulis & toasted nori, while the tangy and refreshing endive & citrus salad cools your palate with grapefruit, orange, red onion, and radish. 

Mirela Rus

The Seafood Risotto standouts with a scampi bisque, prawns, clams, squid & parmesan, and the Smoked Fish “Carbonara” uses Adriatic fish, cream & parmesan to up an all-time classic. Those wanting to stick to the more authentic side of Dalmatian cuisine can enjoy the clams 'buzara', market fish, or grilled octopus.

And for the meat-eaters in the group? The 45-Day Dry-Aged Rib-Eye is adorned with roasted cauliflower, capers, almonds & black truffle bearnaise, and the Duck Confit is plated with gingered potato, roasted peppers, arugula & honey-mustard vinaigrette. 

Chef Alexandre Ange also designs a weekly menu in addition to the la carte lunch and dinner dining, which evolves depending on what’s in season and available. Don't forget to check in with the waitstaff to find out what’s on this week! 

And we haven't even gotten to the desserts...

You can explore everything Brasserie on 7 offers on their official website.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

June 19, 2022 - How to combine modern technology and ancient heritage in a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Check out the incredible Diocletian's Dream VR experience, bringing Diocletian's Palace to life as never before. 

How to bring a an ancient monument to life for all ages?

Diocletian's Palace is one of my favourite places in Croatia. Superbly located on the gorgeous Split waterfront, it is a vibrant living Roman city within a city than breathes history on every corner. 

Walking tours of the palace are among the most popular activities in Split, and yet over the years, I have lost count of the number of times I have heard a variation of the following question to tour guides after the tour is complete:

"That was very interesting, but where is the actual palace?"

Other key Roman attractions such as Salona or the Pula Arena are easily identifiable for what they once were, but with so many cool bars, restaurants, museums and galleries, boutique hotels and AirBnBs, it is sometimes hard to imagine what Diocletian's Palace once was, never mind visualise it for what it was constructed - the retirement home of Emperor Diocletian. For  years I have watched tour groups walk around taking photos and only half-listening to the guide. I always  wondered exactly how much they were taking in. With the summer heat an additional factor, it was clear that the messages of the tour guides were only partially successful. 

If only there was something which could explain the majesty of Diocletian's Palace as it once was in a simple and communicative way to suit the modern tourist. 

I heard about a new concept called Diocletian's Dream over an excellent cocktail at Kavala Beach Bar on a quick trip to Split last week. Diocletian's Dream was apparently an Irish-Croatian parntership, offering a high-quality 15-minute Virtual Reality (VR) experience of life at the time of Diocletian, entertainingly narrated by a senior slave. As I was looking for some educational bonding experiences with my teenage daughter, Diocletian's Dream seemed to tick the box, and I put a visit on the agenda for the following day. 

Located conveniently an an 80m2 ground floor space at the back of Djardin and overlooking the palace, Diocletian's Dream is perfectly located to compliment a walking tour of the palace. And while the imminent VR experience was bound to be spectacular, it was more than matched by the passion and enthusiasm of Irish co-owner Declan, who greeted us warmly. 

One of  the few such experiences in the world (they are currently about 5-6 others) and the first in Croatia, it didn't take long to become absorbed by Delcan's enthusiasm for the project or attention to detail. Everything had been factually checked with local experts, he assured, and the movie production crew had been painstaking in their attention to detail to get everything completely right. Actors, script writers and even some celebrity voices (including the lead singer of popular Croatian band TBF) were enlisted in the effort to bring 1,700 years of history to life for the modern tourist.

The first three impressions that struck me were cleanliness, space, and temperature. That airconditioning was a lifesaver with temperatures over 30 degrees outside. I could just imagine how refreshing it would be to come and enjoy the VR experience after walking around the palace. As this is clearly a project of passion, Declan and his partner have chosen comfort over profit. The beautifully designed and themed viewing room holds a maximum of 15 people, where they could perhaps have crammed in 30. There is a sitting area and use of a toilet for tour guides who want to relax after bringing their guests in. A very refreshing change from outside altogether. 

As for the VR experience itself, I will not give away too many secrets as I really do encourage you to check it out yourself. My daughter laughed when I told her that this was my first real VR experience - how the generations are different when it comes to technology. With a choice of English, Croatian, French, German and Italian, I chose the English. Delcan applied my headset and I was transported back to 305 BC, with my very own slave tour guide. I was reminded not only to look ahead, but encouraged to look up, down and back. And I felt a little dizzy as we mimicked a Roman drone to get a bird's eye view of the palace 1,700 years ago. 

Apart from the excellent graphics and attention to detail, what makes Diocletian's Dream a winner is the way it tells the story. Rather than spouting facts and dates, the story developed through our slave guide was both educational and humourous, taking us not only through some of the key parts of the palace, but also through situations in daily life during the time of Diocletian. The storyteller succeeds in weaving in useful facts and observations about the palace into his story, facts that are with me still in a way that walking tours do not succeed. 

The 15 minutes flew by, and my understanding of this magnificent palace was certainly enriched. Now I wanted to go to some of the locations featured and see them through fresh eyes. 

A visit to Diocletian's Dream costs 80 kuna for adults and 50 kuna for children. It is one of the few attractions in the city which is truly for all ages. And if you are trying to excite your kids about ancient heritage at a time when they just want to be on their smart phones, Diocletian's Dream is a little hard to beat. 

Personally, I think it should be a recommended addition to all walking tours of the palace, as it really helps to fill in the gaps and make the palace come to life. I am just not sure which would be better, to do the VR experience before a walking tour, or after. The benefits of watching it before mean that you will be a lot more prepared and engaged for what you are about to experience. Having said that, perhaps seeing it at the end with that nice cool temperature is the perfect way to relax and fill in the gaps. Or perhaps both... 

Looking online for feedback from other visitors, I was delighted to see it ranked number 1 out of 476 tours in Split. Deservedly so. And a really good vlog and interview with Declan with our friends from 45 Degrees Sailing. 

The partnership between modern technology and ancient heritage is an important one for the development of tourism in the modern age, and it is not easy to get right. Diocletian's Dream has certainly managed. Learn more on the official Diocletian's Dream website. 

To learn more about Diocletian's Palace and Split, check out the TC Split in a Page guide. 

Jun 17, 2022 - The first World Cup of Basketball Veterans will be held in Split and Omiš next April, with once-famous basketball players from Europe and even the NBA expected to compete. 

"We have been successfully organizing the Masters Handball World Cup for five years, so we decided to organize a competition of the same level in basketball, so from next year in Omiš and Split, in addition to handball veterans, basketball veterans will compete in the first World Cup," said sporting event organizer Mario Čaljkušić, as reported by Dalmacija Danas.

A well-established team started organizing the International Camp of Handball Goalkeepers eleven years ago, and then the Masters Handball World Cup, bringing the biggest names in international handball to Omiš. There is no doubt that they will be equally successful when organizing the basketball tournament.

"The hardest part of the job was getting to know the whole organization and we can freely say that in the last few years it has been going routinely. Not only for us who are involved in the organization, but also for the people who take care of the hall, hotel accommodation, transport, as well as volunteers, sponsors, and city and county structures. It is already a well-established system, and when we decided to do basketball, we joked that we just need to change balls, a handball for a basketball, and replace goals with baskets, as everything else will be the same," laughed Čaljkušić and added:

"Of course, we consulted and involved several basketball experts in the organization, but we will inform the public when the time comes."

The World Cup of Basketball Veterans is scheduled for April 13-16 next year, and registrations have already been launched on the official website. Moreover, a dozen teams have already applied for competitions to be organized in three groups, "5 v 5", "3 v 3" and "wheelchair basketball", in three women's (+35, +40, and +45) and four men's (+35, +40, +45 and +50) categories.

Given that the organizers brought many big names from the world of handball, it would not be surprising that once-famous basketball players from Europe and even the NBA League come to the World Cup of basketball veterans. So far, the project has been supported by many famous names such as Nikola Vujčić, Aramis Naglić, Aleksandar Petrović, Krešimir Lončar, Mario Kasun, Bruno Šundov, and Teo Čizmić, and a roundtable on current basketball events was announced. Representatives of the Croatian Basketball Federation also announced their arrival.

"I support the initiative and look forward to participating in the roundtable if my commitments allow. Basketball has a lot of problems that need to be openly discussed and pointed out what we as professional people think is not good. Of course, I am looking forward to meeting again many famous people from the world of basketball that I have not seen for a long time," said Aleksandar Petrović.

"Veteran sport is very popular all over the world, even among basketball players who may not be ready for professional sacrifices as they used to be, but still enjoy playing and socializing, which is why we all started training together a long time ago, as children. I am glad that this project has come to life in our country and I have no doubt that it will be successful," said Nikola Vujčić.

The final of the World Cup is planned to take place at the basketball temple at Gripe, where the story of the great and powerful Jugoplastika, unofficially the best basketball club in Europe in the 20th century, won three consecutive European titles.

"Our club supports all basketball projects, so we will actively support the World Cup of basketball veterans. We are looking forward to opening the doors of our home to all who actively live basketball, regardless of the fact that they have long since retired, and we are considering putting together a team of our veterans to compete in the official competition," said director of Split Basketball Club Edo Blažević.

The fifth edition of the Masters Handball World Cup, despite the problems created by the coronavirus and the war in Ukraine, gathered over 1,000 competitors and guests, so there is no doubt that the Veterans Basketball World Cup will yield similar, if not better results.

"I have to admit that I was a bit envious of handball players when I saw how many of them gather at veteran competitions and that I wondered why something similar is not organized for us, former basketball players. And here, it was as if I had summoned the organizers. I am glad that they started this project, and I am especially glad that my club will be actively involved in it," said the sports director of Split and one of the players of the famous golden generation of Jugoplastika, Teo Čizmić.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section. 

June 15, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Iberia Croatia flights will be boosted from Madrid next month, namely running from Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik airports. 

Spanish airline Iberia, a Oneworld alliance member, plans to increase the number of weekly flights between Madrid and Croatian airports in July, reports Croatian Aviation.

The Spanish national airline already operates regular routes from its main base in Madrid to Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb.

Between Zagreb and Madrid, Iberia plans three flights a week in July, every Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, while in the last week of July the number of weekly operations will increase to five. The airline is still selling daily flights between Zagreb and Madrid in August, but there is a possibility that will change.

Sixteen return flights between the two cities have been announced for July, exclusively with A320 aircraft, so 4,928 seats will be available on this route next month.

The Madrid - Split - Madrid line is currently running three times a week, while four flights a week have been announced for July; on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, also with A320 aircraft.

Seventeen return flights were announced on this route in July, and 5,236 seats are currently available.

Dubrovnik and Madrid should be connected on a daily basis in July. Iberia is planning daily operations with A320 and A319 aircraft announced on the route, and a total of 9,528 seats are available on 31 return flights in July.

Between Madrid and the three mentioned Croatian airports, Iberia is offering almost 20,000 seats in July. In addition to point-to-point passengers, the line is used by a significant number of transfer passengers, primarily from North and South America, given that according to destinations on the mentioned continents Iberia Airlines has developed a quality network of routes.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

June 14, 2022 - After a two-year break, Split will host one of the world's largest international electronic music festivals, Ultra Europe 2022, at Park Mladeži from July 8 to 10.

The participants of today's press conference held in the Split city port confirmed that everything is ready from the organizational aspect. According to the organizers, Split expects the biggest Ultra yet. 

"After the pandemic crisis and uncertainty, we gathered courage. With the great interest of fans and the support of the Government, the Ministry, Tourist Board, and all partners, we dared to maintain Ultra. For now, all indicators say that we were right because the interest has never been higher, especially the increase in guests with higher spending power," said Joe Bašić, director of the Festival. He added that as a responsible organizer, he wants to create further and develop an environment beneficial to society and development for the city.

On behalf of the host city, the great event was supported by the Commissioner Mirna Veža:

"This is a serious event with great positive tourist and economic effects on our city. That is good and positive for our citizens and us. Our focus and imperative is safety during the event, with the cooperation of the organizers, our police department, and the police being crucial. I expect us to be in sync and up to the task to present ourselves as a city of culture, heritage, and entertainment, but also as an organized, safe, and serious city for our citizens and visitors."

State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism Tonči Glavina said that the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry strongly support the project, which is recognized as a project of strategic importance. He cited data from a study conducted in 2018, which supports the festival's positive effects on GDP, especially on the promotion and marketing of Split, Dalmatia, and the whole of Croatia.

The leaders of the Split and Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Boards, Alijana Vukšić and Joško Stella, emphasized the immeasurable positive tourist and marketing effects of Ultra. Furthermore, the support and confirmation of the readiness of the services under the jurisdiction of the County were expressed by the Deputy Prefect of Split-Dalmatia Stipe Čogelj, while the director of the Public Institution Sports Facilities Gordon Cerjan said that preparations at the Park Mladeži are going according to plan. 

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

June 14, 2022 - The first edition Green Future Conference took place at the National Theatre in Split on June 9 and 10. Participants could listen to a range of topics related to green transition, a process that all companies and systems will have to go through in the future.

The conference organisers brought together over 40 international and local speakers who are technology leaders, companies, institutions, policymakers, scientists, and other stakeholders from the sustainable development sector. The conference aims to exchange ideas and present examples of good practices in urban mobility, digital transformation, finance, public policy, transport, environment, and energy. It also aims to position Split as a central place of knowledge and strongly emphasizes the future of conference tourism.

"We are proud to have organized such an important and well-attended event in Split. Green transition is the top topic of today and permeates all segments of our lives, business, and public policies. It is not a question of whether we can do better than we must. Today we had the opportunity to hear from some of the most developed cities and companies about how the public and private sectors could learn a lot. The Green Future Conference is a platform that opens a window to the world today but also a window to the future. Rimac's supercar Nevera in front of HNK Split is a real picture of that future that is sometimes imaginable, and that is why we wanted it to be there. This is the image of Split that we want to send to the world," said Antonija Eremut Erceg on behalf of the organizers.

The participants could enjoy a range of intriguing lectures and keynote speakers. There was even a two-day start-up challenge where start-ups with green and sustainable practices in their business had a chance to present their ideas to the jury.

Overall, it was an excellent start for the Green Future Conference with two full-day programmes that inspired and attracted participants to engage and participate in conference events. 

This conference showed that Split again proved a spectacular location for a conference that brought up-to-date topics and attractive lecturers. As the organisers said, the future is green; the future is in Split.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

June 14, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 29 weekly LOT Croatia flights from Poland will run this summer. 

LOT Polish Airlines has finalized its summer flight schedule to Croatia by announcing a new, third route to Rijeka and increasing weekly operations between Zagreb and Warsaw, reports Croatian Aviation. 

The Star Alliance Group group member will operate 9 international routes from Poland to 5 Croatian airports at the peak of the summer season, namely to Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb.

The largest number of weekly operations has been announced between Warsaw and Zagreb, where the airline's aircraft will operate 13 times a week, twice a day every day except Monday. Thus, LOT in Zagreb returned to almost the same number of flights as before the pandemic.

LOT already operates to Rijeka from Warsaw, once a week, and at the beginning of July, there are two more lines, from Zielona Góra (Sundays) and Rzeszów (Tuesdays).

Two lines have been announced to Zadar. From Warsaw once a week (on Saturdays) and from Rzeszów, also on Saturdays, from June 18.

On the line between Warsaw and Split, LOT will operate three times a week this summer, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, and Boeing 737-800 aircraft have also been announced on this line.

LOT will connect Warsaw and Dubrovnik on a daily basis, and will additionally operate on the line between Dubrovnik and Krakow (every Saturday). 

“Last year, we transported over 33,000 Poles to Croatia, and we hope for a much better result this year. I also hope that Croats will visit Poland in greater numbers," said the carrier’s CEO, Rafał Milczarski for Ex Yu Aviation at the beginning of June. 

"Croatia is becoming more and more popular among our passengers each year and is becoming of interest for travelers outside of Warsaw as well. As we continue to increase our offer, both Zagreb and Croatia as a whole are becoming popular for short weekend breaks as well," he added.

“Our performance in Croatia is the result of consistent work by our team as well as the growing popularity of Croatia in Poland and the increasing number of Poles who want to come to Croatia within two hours," said LOT Board Member for Commercial Affairs, Michal Fijoł.  

Overall, 29 weekly flights is a smaller number of operations compared to the 2019 summer flight schedule.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

June 11, 2022 - New Croatia Airlines Split seasonal routes were launched on Friday. The national airline will directly connect Split with five new European destinations during this year's summer flight schedule - Stockholm, Bucharest, Dublin, Milan, and Amsterdam.

The ceremony, which marked this year's expansion of the Croatia Airlines destination network from Split, was held after the first seasonal flight from Stockholm landed in Split. Currently, passengers have two flights a week on this international route - Fridays and Sundays, and return airline tickets are available for as little as 129 euros, reports Croatian Aviation.

On Friday around 2 pm, the first passengers on the new Split - Bucharest seasonal line, which will operate on Wednesdays and Fridays, took off on Croatia Airlines, and return airline tickets are available to passengers for as little as 149 euros.

"We are glad that we have offered passengers an even better travel choice and expanded our European destinations network. During this year's season, we plan to connect Croatia with 21 international destinations, i.e., 22 European airports, and the aircraft will fly on 41 international routes. In that period, we plan to run more than 16,000 flights and offer about 1,766,000 seats, which will make the national airline contribute to the quality of Croatian tourism products and improve the transport infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia," said Slaven Zabo, commercial director of Croatia Airlines.

"Croatia Airlines is the most important business partner of Split Airport. This has been particularly evident during the last two crisis pandemic years. Even during the complete blockade of air traffic, Croatia Airlines ensured the connection of Split Airport with the world. Also important to us is the connection that Croatia Airlines provides throughout the year, especially during the winter flight schedule. Direct connection with 18 European destinations compared to 13 in the record 2019, when the Airport had 3.3 million passengers, proves the fact that Croatia Airlines is a strong lever in the process of recovering air traffic and tourism in this region," said Pero Bilas, Assistant Director-General of Split Airport.

On Sunday, June 12, Croatia Airlines is starting to directly connect Split with two other European capitals - Dublin and Milan. There will be flights between Split and Dublin on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and return tickets are available from 169 euros, while flights between Split and Milan are planned on Thursdays and Sundays, and passengers on this route have return tickets from 119 euros.

The fifth new line this season from Split will be introduced on June 14 this year, when the first Split - Amsterdam flight will run. Flights on this route are planned for Tuesday, and return tickets are available to passengers for as little as 159 euros. 

During this season, Croatia Airlines planes will directly connect Split with 18 European destinations. In addition to the new seasonal lines to Stockholm, Bucharest, Dublin, Milan, and Amsterdam, Split will be directly connected with Athens, Vienna, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, London (ZL Heathrow and ZL Gatwick), Lyon, Munich, Paris, Rome, and Zurich. In addition, flights on the Split - Prague season line, which was first introduced last year, are being renewed.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, check out our dedicated travel section.

June 10, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Finnair Croatia routes have been boosted to Split and Dubrovnik from June 20. 

Finnish airline and Oneworld alliance member Finnair will increase the number of flights to two Croatian airports in the second half of June, reports Croatian Aviation. 

Namely, Finnair will increase the number of flights to Split and Dubrovnik from June 20, while the number of weekly flights between Helsinki and Zagreb will remain the same as before.

The Finnish national airline will operate 24 return flights between Helsinki and Zagreb until the end of July this year. The line was introduced on May 1 this year, and operations continue three times a week, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Instead of aircraft from the A320 family, the airline will mainly use smaller capacity aircraft, type E190 (100 seats) between the two cities, while A319 aircraft have also been announced on certain dates. 

By the end of July, Finnair will offer a total of 5,480 seats between Helsinki and Zagreb.

As for Split Airport, three flights a week are announced until June 19, on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and from June 20, a fourth flight a week is available, every Friday. The stated number of weekly operations is planned through the peak summer season. Unlike the route to Zagreb, Finnair to Split is announcing A321 and A320 aircraft (209 and 174 seats). 

Between Split and Helsinki, Finnair will offer 11,840 seats by the end of July. 

The situation is similar in Dubrovnik. Until June 19, three flights a week are also announced, on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and from the next day, a flight is also available on Thursdays. A320 and A321 aircraft have been announced between the two cities, but A321 aircraft will be more frequent in Resnik than in Čilipi.

Between Dubrovnik and Helsinki, the Finnish airline is offering 11,655 seats until July 31.

Finnair counted on a larger number of transfer passengers from Asia, but due to the war in Ukraine and the closure of Russian airspace, routes to Asia have either been significantly reduced or suspended, so most passengers are on lines to or from Croatia point-to-point.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

June 6, 2022 - Croatia and France draw at Poljud in the 2nd round of the UEFA Nations League at Poljud on Monday. 

Croatia and France met for the 2nd round of the Nations League on Monday at Poljud Stadium in Split. Croatia opened this year's Nations League with a shock 0:3 defeat to Austria in Osijek. France also lost their opening match against Denmark 1:2. 

Both Croatia and France were weakened due to injuries. Croatia was without Ivan Perišič, Marko Livaja, Joško Gvardiol, and Petar Musa. For France, Mbappe, Benzema, Kante, and Coman did not properly train with the team last night. Croatia, however, has yet to beat France. 

As coach Zlatko Dalić said at the press conference last night, France even without their usual stars is still France - and even their B team is a force to be reckoned with. 

Tonight is also Croatia captain Luka Modrić's 150th appearance for the Croatia national team. He made his debut on March 1, 2006, in Croatia's 3:2 victory against Argentina. Luka has scored 21 goals in 149 games so far, participated in three World Cups and four European Championships, and has been the team captain since 2016.

Lineups

Croatia: Livaković, Juranović, Erlić, Vida, Barišić, Brozović, Kovačić, Modrić, Majer, Brekalo, Budimir

France: Maignan, Pavard, Saliba, Kimpembe, Digne, Guendouzi, Tchouaméni, Diaby, Rabiot, Nkunku, Ben Yedder

Match Report

Croatia maintained possession for the first five minutes of the match, with a few potential attacks in the penalty area. Croatia's first corner came in the 6th minute. Luka played short to Brekalo, who played back to Luka and then Majer for a shot off target. 

France picked up the pace in the next 5 minutes and had their first corner in the 10th minute. 

Juranović headed out a close encounter for France for their second corner of the match in the 12th minute. Kovačić played Budimir into the penalty spot the minute after which was cleared by the France defense. 

Croatia's defense was solid tonight in comparison to the debacle last weekend in Osijek. Calm, collected, and without any mishaps so far. 

Croatia's best chance of the match came in the 18th minute - Kovačić played a brilliant through ball to Budimir who shot near post forcing a tricky save for the France keeper. The ball went out for a corner. 

France had another chance in the 23rd minute which was shot wide. 

A minute later a breakaway for Kovačić saw him fouled outside the box. The ref decided to play advantage for Croatia instead, and France won back possession. 

Lovro Majer was fouled in France's half which the ref did not call. France then pushed up the pitch and scored an offside goal in the 31st minute. 

Croatia was awarded a free kick in the 33rd minute but Vida was offside.  

Livakovic made a brilliant save after Vida let Diaby get a shot off in the 39th minute - and another save moments after that. France had another corner in the 40th minute and another two corners three minutes later. Croatia's defense had no problem clearing the play. 

One minute of stoppage time was added to the first half. The match was 0:0. 

The second half started without any substitutions. 

Lovro Majer sent a stunning pass through the France defense, which found Ante Budimir's head, but the ball went wide of the goal. 

But it was France to score first. Rabiot made it 0:1 in the 52nd minute. 

Croatia moved the ball nicely into France's half in the 57th minute and was dangerous in front of the France keeper but could not get a shot off.  

Juranović found Budimir at the top of the box and played it back to Brozovic who couldn't find his footing to shoot. 

France subbed off Ben Yedder for Griezmann, and Kamara for Tchouameni. For Croatia, Majer came off for Pasalic and Brekalo for Orsic. 

Budimir was fouled just outside the box in the 63rd minute which the ref allowed them to play on. 

Dalic subbed off Budimir for Kramaric in the 68th minute.

Luka had a great chance in the 70th minute. He cut back to his left foot to shoot on target, forcing the France keeper to make a diving save.  

Livakovic made a brilliant save in the 75th minute to ensure the match stayed 0:1.

Luka Modric was subbed off for Luka Sucic and Mateo Kovacic for Nikola Vlasic in the 78th minute. 

Croatia had another chance in the 80th minute which was ultimately called for a penalty thanks to VAR. Kramaric made it 1:1 in the 82nd minute!

Vlasic shot on target in the 86th minute forcing the ball out for a corner. A Croatia mishap in the defense almost cost them the match two minutes later, but Griezmann shot wide of an empty goal. 

The ref added 4 minutes of stoppage time to the match in which neither team was able to score - though Sucic had a great chance. The match ended 1:1. 

Croatia plays Denmark next in Copenhagen on Friday, June 10. 

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section.