[WC 2022 QF #1] CROATIA 1(4) (Petkovic) BRAZIL 1(2) PKs Croatia through to the semi-finals!!! (Neymar)

[oscar52]

Croatia play football like Africans. I could watch their swag on the ball all day and the way they scoop/lob the ball over Brazilian players head - for a European team, I am quite impressed. Its actually the kind of play I would expect from Brazil. But that their left back I dont think is athletic enough, good the couch replaced him. Otherwise a solid team that has athletically strong and fast men that can go toe to toe with any team in the world on the field. A lack of a true goal poacher/scorer is a problem but Mandzukic was not exactly great at the last worldcup either and they reached the finals.

[mcal]

Croatia play football like Africans. I could watch their swag on the ball all day and the way they scoop/lob the ball over Brazilian players head - for a European team, I am quite impressed. Its actually the kind of play I would expect from Brazil. But that their left back I dont think is athletic enough, good the couch replaced him. Otherwise a solid team that has athletically strong and fast men that can go toe to toe with any team in the world on the field. A lack of a true goal poacher/scorer is a problem but Mandzukic was not exactly great at the last worldcup either and they reached the finals.

...my thought too. I was thinking of SE of the 90s.
Strong, motivated, and add the swagger of how they played at the afcon 94, then USA 94, then Atlanta 96, and capped it with France 98.

[benteke]

My friend, I totally disagree with you on the attractiveness claim. We cannot play more attacking because our forwards are bad. I mean they REALLY are bad: Petkovic, Livaja, and Budimir should never make a NT. Kramaric is ok, Orsic has speed but for some reason ignored by Dalic till throwing him in at the end...for Orisc to play a key role in our goal.

We have a great defense and midfield that can possess, dribble, and pass. Fast and technical, sophisticated. Don't be so harsh on us because our forwards cannot complete our game.

Just saying.

I used to like Ivica Olic when he played at Bayern, very tough and hardworking player, not too fancy but effective.

What you think of Perisic

[danfo driver]

That's for correcting him unless he meant Croatia don't play attractively because they don't dance and as well as the Brazilians

Jokes aside, congratulations on yet another Semifinal WC qualification and good luck the rest of the way. Well deserved Mate

They arent doing atilogwu and twerking

Regardless, and all credit to the Croats, its always a sad day for me when Brazil exits the WC

Brazil was my team for this tournament. However, like Nigeria, I am not going to allow any coach use his idio.cy to frustrate me ever again. I have seeing pepper in this sport. If i support you and you want to be silly, I am going to move on, like nothing happened. I am tired, bro!

[mate]

My friend, I totally disagree with you on the attractiveness claim. We cannot play more attacking because our forwards are bad. I mean they REALLY are bad: Petkovic, Livaja, and Budimir should never make a NT. Kramaric is ok, Orsic has speed but for some reason ignored by Dalic till throwing him in at the end...for Orisc to play a key role in our goal.

We have a great defense and midfield that can possess, dribble, and pass. Fast and technical, sophisticated. Don't be so harsh on us because our forwards cannot complete our game.

Just saying.

I used to like Ivica Olic when he played at Bayern, very tough and hardworking player, not too fancy but effective.

What you think of Perisic

Perisic is awesome but not a true forward. More a winger who is behind the attack.

He is a physical specimen. Fast, agile, smart, good skills. He lost his world class speed at 32, but still is good.

He’s easily one of our best ever.

[mate]

One more point.

Our forwards Livaja, Petkovic, and our goalie Livakovic all play for Dinamo Zagreb.

Livaja broke Canada open. Petkovic today scored on an assist from Orisc. These aren't very good forwards, but serviceable...and helped us get this far. I don't need to talk about Livakovic and his net keeping.

Point is, the Croatian league and its support what produces all this. Our top players started off in mostly Croatian academies. We have some foreign born players. Round it with Croatian league players.

The Croatian league made a crucial difference here. Giving our domestic forwards a chance when most of them can't make it abroad.

[Coach]

“Croatia play football like Africans”. Good heavens, whatever next, heavily photoshopped footage of Zlatko Dalic lighting a candle next to his bedside figurine of Ikenga and pulling out the copy of ‘The Super Eaglean Manifesto’ from underneath his pillow. There is nothing remotely African, sub or supra Saharan, about the tactical organisation, their undying belief and near on conjoined twin-like togetherness.

Croatia play like a band of brothers hailing from a country small enough for all to be just that. The Hadjuks have been technically astute for as long as one can remember. The tea cloths at Euro 96 were a delight to watch and had the Yekiniesque (presumably), Captain “Killer with Left” up top. Zvonomir and Alijosa cutting the midfield open like a Jabalala does a farmhouse loaf before bunny chowing the inside.

They’ve toned it down at the back, boasting lobotomised versions of Bilic and Stimac, both were brilliant headcases in the checkered ensemble.

The nullification of Vinicius alone, exemplary, contrast this with the handling of Dennis the Menace in ‘98. An emerging powerhouse at wide forward reduced to spectator, on the other hand, Samuel Screech Powers with speed boots for feet, given red cap and title “osi na nwata buru ogaranya”. The control of midfield vs. Top quality opposition? Light and day.

Another case of the Frankie Viallis.

[Coach]

Someone mentioned Danilo earlier, one of the worst performances at fullback ever witnessed. Shocking disregard for role and responsibility.