Czech Republic and Croatia meet in Saint-Etienne on group stage matchday two, with both sides coming off the back of contrasting opening results.
The Czechs came up against reigning champions Spain and after putting up a brave defensive fight, only a late goal from Gerard Pique condemned them to a defeat. Croatia, on the other hand, began in the best way possible by claiming a 1-0 win over Turkey – courtesy of a sublime volley from Luka Modric which has been one of the many superb goals scored so far this tournament.
Key Battle – Tomas Rosicky vs Luka Modric
Against Spain, Tomas Rosicky had to sit back as the likes of Andres Iniesta piled on the pressure from midfield. In this match against Croatia, he may be forced to play a similar role with the opposition expected to be the more adventurous of the two.
Ante Cacic has an embarrassment of riches in the middle of the park, but none stand out more than Real Madrid midfielder Modric whose goal defeated Turkey. If the Czechs wish to avoid another onslaught like the one they experienced against Spain, then limiting Modric’s influence will be a necessity, which is a responsibility best suited for Rosicky.
Team News
The Czech Republic are likely to stick with their traditional 4-2-3-1 setup with Petr Cech, Tomas Sivok, Jaroslav Plasil and Rosicky hoping to once again provide a strong spine.
Croatian captain Darijo Srna was expected to miss out for personal reasons, but the latest news is that he will take part – meaning the same 11 that did the job over Turkey are likely to lineup again.
Head-to-head
The two nations have only met twice since they both became independent, with Croatia winning one and the other finishing in a draw.
Previous meeting
The last time these two met was in an International Friendly in February 2011, which saw the Croatians prevail 4-2 in an entertaining contest.
Prediction
Both sides need to win this for different reasons. The Czechs urgently need points after their opening defeat, and Croatia will not want to lose ground with Spain on the horizon in the last group game. A tendency for Pavel Vrba‘s men to sit back and absorb the pressure will need some fine tuning with their need to win, and how much they push forward could leave gaps open at the back for Croatia’s attacking prowess to exploit. An open game seems likely, but expect the quality of this Vatreni team to claim the win and send them through to the next round, all but eliminating their Czech counterparts.
Czech Republic 0 Croatia 2
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