Ken Early: Rather than mourn for Brazil, world should marvel at miracle of Croatia (via irishtimessport)
Rather than mourn for Brazil, the world should marvel at the miracle of Croatia, a country of 3.9 million people that now stands on the verge of its second successive World Cup final. This astonishing team, led by the greatest midfield player of his generation, Luka Modric, has perfected the art of doing exactly what is required to get through World Cup knock-out games: no more, no less. Whatever the level they need to find on the day, Croatia will find it.
Indeed after just a few minutes it was clear that Brazil were finding it hard to create anything, with Casemiro and Lucas Paqueta exchanging square passes in front of Croatia’s compact midfield triangle, which occupied the centre, and left no dangerous gaps. One move late in the first half when he spirited the ball away from a tight situation by the touchline with a couple of flicked outside-of-the-foot passers in a row brought a huge cheer and applause from the Croatian fans. To see such casual superiority transmitted confidence to every Croat, in the stands and on the field: they’ve got the yellow shirts and the five stars, but it’s better to have Modric.
Tite took off Raphinha and sent on the more explosive and unpredictable Antony. It was an admission that Brazil’s Plan A had failed. Raphinha is the type of player who needs the machine to function around him. Antony might make something happen by himself. But this time he dismantled Croatia’s midfield with two successive one-twos, shrugged off the challenge of the last defender and rounded the challenge of Livakovic before firing into the roof of the net.
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