2:2 against Albania
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After the opening defeats of "Kockasti" and "Kuqezinjtë", it was almost a game of last chance in European Championship Group B - with a 2-2 draw in the highly dramatic duel between Croatia and Albania, especially late on, the starting position for both teams in terms of advancing to the knockout phase has not really improved ...
Incidentally, the 2-2 draw at Hamburg's Volkspark Stadium was not just the first draw in a head-to-head encounter - it was also the first match the two countries' national teams had ever played against each other. In view of the fact that Croatia has now existed as an independent state for around 32 years, this late premiere can be considered quite curious.
Pinpricks against the defense of the 2022 World Cup third-placed team
Speaking of "curious": it was not necessarily to be expected that the Albanians would be the more active and forward-looking team from the moment referee François Letexier kicked off - even though they had taken the lead after just 23 seconds in their first European Championship match against Italy. The "Kuqezinjtë", formally deployed in a 4-5-1 formation by their Brazilian team boss Sylvinho, did not manage to score a flash goal today, but they did at least make pinpricks against the defense of the 2022 World Cup bronze medallists right from the start. Nedim Bajrami (1st) and Rey Manaj (2nd) were not yet able to pose a serious threat, however.
At least not yet - because just as the "Kockasti" were preparing to take control of the game and establish a permanent foothold in the Albanian penalty area, the underdogs struck. Jasir Asani, obviously not seen as a threat by the Croatians on the right flank in the person of substitute full-back Ivan Perišić among others, crossed unchallenged left-footed to the middle, where Qazim Laçi, who had run in between Mateo Brozović and Josko Gvardiol, headed in from just under seven meters (11').
Croatia without speed of thought and ingenuity
Anyone expecting a similarly determined and energetic Croatian response to the deficit against Albania as that of Italy on the first group matchday was sorely disappointed. Although Zlatko Dalić's team gained an impressive 70:30 advantage in terms of possession, veteran star Luka Modrić and Co. posed virtually no threat. Sluggish in physical terms, lacking a spark of speed of thought and without a hint of genius - Croatia certainly did not act like a World Cup third-placed team.
Outsiders Albania, on the other hand, did better: Apart from half-chances by Bajrami (15th) and Elseid Hysaj (29th), first Kristijan Asllani (31st) - after Modrić's mistake and a lightning-quick switch - and then Manaj (45th) shortly before the break could, indeed should, have made it 2-0. However, Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković showed his class in both of the actions initiated by Asani - and thus kept his team in the game ...
At the break, the "Kockasti" reacted with a double substitution, bringing on Salzburg midfielder Luka Sučić and Mario Pašalić for Marcelo Brozović and Lovro Majer. More than the new players on the pitch, however, it was probably Dalić's words in the dressing room that brought about the awakening and the turnaround.
Favorites Croatia now create real chances
Although the successful coach was no longer able to produce any sprinting miracles from his players, some of whom were very old, during the half-time break, Modrić and Co. now repeatedly broke up their long periods of possession with fast and vertical attacking actions. And there were now (finally!) actually chances for the favorites: Sučić, for example, but his shot from eleven meters failed to beat Albania goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha (50'), as did Kovacić with a shot from distance (53'). Josip Sutalo also headed narrowly wide from a corner (58').
Double strike for the "Kockasti"
Albania now wavered, but were able to withstand the Croatian onslaught for the time being: Asllani (63') and Bajrami (67') even missed the chance to decide the game with promising counter-attacks. But the Albanians, who were now in concrete defensive mode, were punished for their now rapidly spreading passivity: The "Kockasti" turned the game in their favour with a double strike in the 74th and 76th minutes - at least supposedly.
First, Andrej Kramarić scored from just outside the penalty area after work from Kovacić and Ante Budimir to equalize the score at 1:1, to much acclaim in the stands and on the pitch. And the jubilation had barely died down when it was already 2:1 to the Croatians: Kramarić and Budimir were involved again and, after the latter's sharp pass from the baseline to the middle, Sučić took off - Berat Djimsiti's shot was blocked, but the ball hit substitute Klaus Gjasula and bounced off him into the Albanian goal.
Gjasula first unlucky, then match-saver
The decider? Not at all! Because instead of dealing the underdogs the "death blow", deciding the game with a third goal and opening the door to the last 16 of Euro 2024 wide open, the Croatians conceded an equalizer that was bitter from their point of view, but not undeserved from the Albanians, who were particularly strong in the first half of the game.
Although they initially had to defuse attacking moves from Perišić (80th / dangerous cross), Modrić (88th / long-range shot) and Martin Baturina (89th), the time had come in the 95th minute: Klaus Gjasula, the Albanian unlucky man from the 1-2, got to the ball unchallenged in the penalty area after a successful move down the left and pass from Mitaj and slotted into the left corner unstoppably.
Qualification for the round of 16 is no longer in the teams' hands
As far as goals were concerned, the scoreboard in Hamburg's Volkspark stadium would have no more work to do, even though the Croatians launched two or three furious attacks. However, they were no longer able to conjure up too much danger - and so both Croatia and Albania are left with just one point after two games at this European Championship. Qualification for the round of 16 is no longer in the hands of the teams coached by Dalić and Sylvinho ...
The result:
Croatia - Albania 2:2 (0:1)
Hamburg, Volkspark-Stadion, referee François Letexier (FRA)
Goals: 0:1 (11') Laci, 1:1 (74') Kramaric, 2:1 (76') Gjasula (own goal), 2:2 (95') Gjasula
Yellow cards: Daku, Gjasula
Croatia: Livakovic - Juranovic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Perisic (84. Sosa) - Modrić, Brozovic (46. Pasalic), Kovacic - Majer (46. Sucic), Petkovic (69. Budimir), Kramaric (84. Baturina)
Albania: Strakosha - Hysaj, Djimsiti, Ajeti, Mitaj - Asllani, Ramadani (85. Hoxha), Laci (72. Gjasula) - Asani (64. Seferi), Manaj (85. Daku), Bajrami
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