Moscow: England dominated Croatia in the first-half after a brilliant goal by Kieran Trippier in the 5th minute. But Croatia equalised in the 68th minute when Ivan Perisic netted off a cross from Vrsaljko to take the match to extra time. Croatia were a completely different team in the extra time as they pressed harder in the final third and England’s lousy defending allowed Mario Mandzukic to fire the winning goal at extra time. Croatia’s dream run continues as they advance to their first-ever World Cup final. Croatia will meet the 1998 champions France in the final on Sunday. The Three Lions will meet Belgium in the third-place match on Saturday before they head home.
Here are the match highlights from Moscow:
Croatia advance to their first-ever World Cup FINAL!!!
Croatia 2-1 England!!!
Full-time!!!
4 minutes of Stoppage time!!
119 minute: Substitution for Croatia. Modric is replaced by Badelj.
117 minute: Free-kick to England. Rashford whips the ball in but Lovren clears the ball away.
115 minute: Substitution for Croatia. Mandzukic is replaced by defender Corluka.
112 minute: What a remarkable match this is turning out to be, the England fans are stunned, can England create something here?
Croatia 2-1 England!!
109 minute: GOAL!!! Mandzukic fires into the right corner off a header by Perisic. What a goal!! Croatia on the edge of a final bearth!!!
Croatia 1-1 England!!
Half-time (Extra-time)!!
105+2 minute: SAVED!!! Perisic makes a brilliant cross to find Mandzukic in the middle but goalkeeper Pickford makes a stunning save. That was close.
2 minute of Additional time!
101 minute: Substitution for Croatia. Kramaric is in for A. Rebic.
99 minute: SAVED!!! Croatia’s Vrsaljko rises to save a dangerous header by Stones. That was close.
97 minute: Substitution for England. Dier replaces Henderson.
96 minute: Yellow card! Croatia’s Rebic gets booked for a foul.
95 minute: Substitution for Croatia, Strinic is replaced by Pivaric.
Extra-time!!
Croatia 1-1 England !!!
Full-time!!
90+1 minute: Free-kick to England on the right. Trippier curls the ball in but Kane fails to direct the ball on target.
3 minute of Stoppage time.
90 minute: Lovren fires a shot from long range but clouds the ball into the crowd. It seems like the match is heading towards extra time.
88 minute: Croatia’s Rebic attempts to find a teammate with a cross from the far corner but hits it away from the England box.
10 minutes to go!!
79 minute: Croatia are pressing hard and moving really well in the midfield as they try to create space in the final-third.
74 minute: Substitution for England, Rashford is in for Sterling.
71 minute: MISS!! Perisic cuts in from an England defender and fires the ball towards the goal but it hits the bar. What an effort!!
Croatia 1-1 England!!
68 minute: GOAL!!! Croatia equalise after Perisic nets a stunner off a brilliant cross from Vrsaljko.
60 minute: Croatia’s Rakitic attempts a shot from distance but clouds the ball away from the England goal.
58 minute: England are pushing hard for the an equaliser but they are cramped for space by the English defenders up-front.
55 minute: Corner for Croatia. Referee awards a free-kick to England after Lovren concedes a foul on Maguire.
54 minute: Yellow card! England’s Kyle Walker gets booked for a challenge.
48 minute: Yellow card!! Croatia’s Mandzukic gets booked for a foul.
Second-half is underway!
Croatia 0-1 England!!
Half-time!!
45+1 minute: Free-kick to Croatia. England defence clear the ball to safety.
1 minute of Stoppage time!
36 minute: MISS!! England’s Lingard picks up Dele Alli’s pass near the box but fails to hit the target.
32 minute: SAVED!! Croatia’s Rebic fires the ball towards goal after an error by Stones, but the former hits it directly into the hands of the goalkeeper.
30 minute: MISS!! Harry Kane misses a golden opportunity as he fails to get past goalkeeper Subasic in a one-on-one situation. That was close.
23 minute: Croatia’s Perisic attempts a shot from distance but hits the ball away from the goal. Croatia are pushing hard but England hold on to the possession.
21 minute: Free-kick to England after a Harry Kane goes down in a challenge.
14 minute: England are up and attacking in the early minutes of the match. Croner for England. Trippier finds Maguire in the middle, who heads the ball wide. Can Croatia make a comeback here?
12 minute: Corner for England. Young whips the ball in but Harry Maguire heads it over the crossbar.
What English dreams are made of! #CROENG 0-1#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/ecsplR4s5d
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 11, 2018
Croatia 0-1 England!!
5 minute: GOAL!!! Kieran Trippier curls the free-kick into the net. What a goal!!! This is his first International goal. Is it coming home?
4 minute: Free-kick to England at a dangerous position. England have been brilliant with their set-pieces. Can they take an early lead here?
England remain unchanged after their quarter-final win over Sweden. Croatia, on the other hand, have made one change, Andrej Kramaric is replaced by Marcelo Brozovic.
Kick-off!
FORMATIONS // #CROENG
#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/uMi7msByS9
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 11, 2018
Lineups
Croatia: Danijel Subasic; Sime Vrsaljko, Dejan Lovren, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Strinic; Marcelo Brozovic; Ante Rebic, Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Ivan Perisic; Mario Mandzukic.
England: Jordan Pickford; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire; Jordan Henderson; Kieran Trippier, Jesse Lingard, Dele Alli, Ashley Young; Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane.
Croatia appear in their first semi-final since 1998, after edging past hosts Russia 4-3 on penalties in the quarter-finals. England, on the other hand, will play their third-ever World Cup semi-finals after a comfortable 2-0 win over Sweden.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic would rely on star strikers, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, to come good against in-form Harry Kane and Dele Alli.
Squads
Croatia:
Goalkeepers – Lovre Kalinic, Dominik Livakovic, Danijel Subasic.
Defenders – Duje Caleta-Car, Vedran Corluka, Tin Jedvaj, Dejan Lovren, Josip Pivaric, Ivan Strinic, Domagoj Vida, Sime Vrsaljko.
Midfielders – Milan Badelj, Filip Bradaric, Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic.
Forwards – Nikola Kalinic, Andrej Kramaric, Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Perisic, Marko Pjaca, Ante Rebic.
England:
Goalkeepers – Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope.
Defenders – Phil Jones, Gary Cahill, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Danny Rose, Ashley Young, John Stones, Harry Maguire.
Midfielders – Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Fabian Delph, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jesse Lingard, Dele Alli.
Forwards – Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Jamie Vardy, Raheem Sterling, Danny Welbeck.
Source: Zee News