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Full time: Croatia 2-1 Spain
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It’s all over! Croatia have won group D and will play one of the third-placed teams, while Spain’s defeat means they finish second and will play Italy in Paris next Monday night. Elsewhere in Group D, Turkey’s 2-0 win over the Czech Republic earned them third place in the group, but may not be enough to to get them into the knockout stages. One thing we can take from their result is that Northern Ireland go through to the last 16.
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90+5 min: David Silva goes close to securing an equaliser with a late diagonal drive from close range, but it’s blocked. THat’s the last action of the game; Croatia have won the match and Group D.
90+3 min: Croatia substitution: Ivan Perisic, who has been outstanding but got booked for removing his shirt after scoring, Andrej Kramaric on.
90+1 min: Spain look fairly shell-shocked here as Croatia make another substitution: Marko Pjaca makes way for Duje Cop.
88 min: Ivan Perisic scores for Croatia to almost certainly set up a last 16 tie between Spain and Italy next Monday with another of this tournament’s trademark late goals.
Croatia attacked on the break and Perisic finds himself on the ball galloping down the left flank. He cuts inside and shoots diagonally and his effort takes a slight deflection before embarrassing David De Gea, who is beaten at his near post.
GOAL! Croatia 2-1 Spain (Perisic 87)
87 min: Bruno plays a through-ball to Aduriz on the edge of the Croatia penalty area. He shoots, his shot is blocked and Croatia race up the far end of the pitch and score!
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85 min: “He’s not played at his very best,” says ITV co-comms man Glenn Hoddle of the departing Fabregas. Pfft, what would that charlatan know about midfield playmakers and pass-merchants? It’s not like he was up to mu .... I’ll get my coat.
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83 min: Spain substitution:Thiago Alcantara on, Cesc Fabregas off. He’s played very well.
81 min: Croatia substitution: Marko Rog off, Matteo Kovacic on.
80 min: Vedran Coruka goes to ground, with one of the two head wounds he picked up in the opening two games having reopened. Well, that or he’s picked up a third one, which would be rather bad luck.
78 min: Juanfran dinks a wonderful cross into the Croatia penalty area from the right. It’s teed up beautifully for Aritz Aduriz (who I may have, er, forgotten to mention replaced Alvaro Morato about 15 minutes ago), but he’s caught by surprise and is unable to capitalise.
73 min: Before Ramos took that penalty, Sime Vrsaljko was booked for either the “foul” that resulted in the spot-kick or protesting his innocence afterwards. His captain, Dario Srna, was also booked for complaining to the referee.
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72 min: Danijel Subasic was approximately three yards off his line when he saved that penalty, having conned Ramos into thinking he was going one way, before remaining in the centre of the goal. The Spain skipper blasted the ball a little right of centre and Subasic kept it out.
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Sergio Ramos misses!
Sergio Ramos smashes the ball at Danijel Subasic, who saves brilliantly, diving a mite to his right.
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Penalty to Spain
David Silva tumbles to the ground in the Croatia penalty area with Sime Vrsaljko behind him,. There was no contact there. None.
69 min: Spain substitution a couple of minutes ago: Alvaro Morata off, Aritz Aduriz on.
66 min: Oooh! Tin Jedvaj loses Sergio Ramos at a corner again. The Spain centre-half leaps like a salmon and steers a meaty downward header inches wide of the upright. Great corner from David Silva; Ramos should have scored.
64 min: Spain ping the ball around on the left side of the pitch, looking for an opening deep in Croatia territory. Elsewhere in the group, Turkey lead the Czech Republic 2-0.
62 min: Croatia win a throw-in deep in Spain territory. It’s taken and the ball finds its way to Pjaca, who throws himself rather dramatically to the ground in the penalty area under a “challenge” from Sergio Ramos. It looks like he might have been chancing his arm there, but I’ve yet to see a replay.
60 min: Spain substitution: Nolito, who is rumoured to be on his way to Manchester City, off. Bruno Soriano on.
59 min: Croatia get forward again, with Ivan Perisic crossing into space. It’s a might too high and early and the ball sails out for a throw-in.
57 min: Dario Srna crosses from the right and David De Gea struggles to clear with a very weak punch. the goalkeeper wanders further out towards the edge of his are to block Rakitic’s follow-up shot. The ball breaks to Marko Pjaca, whose ambitious bicycle kick from 13 yards goes wide of the left upright, but not by much.
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56 min: Rakitic is on set-piece duty again, whipping the corner into the penalty area, where David De Gea heads clear.
55 min: Marko Pjaca draws a foul from Nolito and wins a free-kick for Croatia just outside the Spain penalty area, in line with the right side. Rakitic curls the ball across the face of goal, but Ramos heads clear for a corner.
53 min: Spain an extended spell of possession with their move culminating with a pull-back from Jordi Alba that Morata is unable to convert from the edge of the six-yard box.
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50 min: Ivan Perisic wags a Big Finger of Admonishment at the linesman, who judged the ball to have gone out of play, as he and Ivan Rakitic embarked on another of their speedy counter-attacks up the left touchline.
48 min: Iniesta brings the ball forward for Spain and chips it into space, where Corluka heads clear. The Croatia defender has left his protective water polo hat in the dressing room, having apparently decided he doesn’t need it any more.
47 min: Juanfran latches on to a Silva ball across the face of the Croatia penalty area and shoots first time, but skies the ball high over the cross-bar.
Second half: Croatia 1-1 Spain
Play is under way for the second half, with Croatia getting the ball rolling. As things stand, both these teams will go through to the last 16. If Turkey, who are one goal up against the Czech Republic, fail to win by four or more goals, Northern Ireland will also go through to the knockout stages.
Half-time: Croatia 1-1 Spain
It’s been a wonderfully half-time game, with Spain opening the scoring courtesy of Alvaro Morato, before Nikola Kalinic equalised shortly before half-time. With the pre-match threat of first-half crowd trouble having failed to materialise, it’s fair to say it’s been a smashing evening’s entertainment so far.
45+1 min: That was a decent goal from Croatia. Ivan Perisic scurried down the left flank and crossed towards the near post. Rakitic got a touch, but not a heavy enough one to divert the ball off course, before Kalinic got in front of Ramos to pirouette the ball home just inside the upright from close range with a flailing heel.
GOAL! Croatia 1-1 (Kalinic 45)
Croatia are level and it’s no more than they deserve. Kalanic gets across Ramos to deftly flick past De Gea from three yards after getting on the end of a cross from the left.
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43 min: Another wonderful through ball from Fabregas, who threads the eye of the needle, putting Morata through on goal. The striker’s first touch is poor and he’s left staring a gift horse in the mouth.
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41 min: Spain corner. Nolito’s delivery is sublime and Sergio Ramos gives Tin Jedvaj the slip, only to skim his free near post header wide of the far stick. He should have scored. Elsewhere in the group, it’s Czech Republic 0-1 Turkey in Lens.
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38 min: Dario Srna crosses from the right and Ivan Perisic leaps highest at the far post on the edge of the six-yard box. If anything, he jumps too high and is unable to control his headerm sending the ball high over the bar.
37 min: Croatia continue to dominate on the pitch if not the scoreboard. Dario Srna plays the ball long into space down by the corner flag for Kalinic to chase, but Sergio Ramos does enough to prevent him from getting to the ball, which runs out for a goal kick.
35 min: Spain continue to lead, but Croatia are far from out of this contest. Rakitic has been excellent, constantly driving forward with the ball at his feet.
31 min: Gerard Pique dispossesses his club team-mate Ivan Rakitic with a splendid tackle on the edge of the Spain penalty area. Unperturbed, Rakitic promptly wins the ball back and tries to play a one-two with Nikola Kalinic who, on this occasion at least, isn’t on the same wavelength as him.
30 min: We’re in the 30th minute and there’s no sign of any trouble from the crowd, mercifully. Fingers crossed it stays that way. Goal kick for Croatia, which Subasic leathers down the field.
28 min: Andres Iniesta curls a cross towards the far post from the edge of the penalty area. With two Spaniards queuing up to get on the end of his delivery, Danijel Subasic does well to charge out, leap and push the ball away from danger.
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27 min: I’ve had a revelation, of sorts. Imagine eating a hotdog that’s absolutely smothered in ketchup and mustard, only for somebody to run into you and knock it all over your pristine white t-shirt, just as you’re raising it to your mouth. That’s what Spain’s shirt resembles tonight.
25 min: Spain win a free-kick two or three yards outside the Croatia penalty area, right of the D. David Silva and Sergio Ramos stand over the ball, but it’s the Manchester City player who tries his luck. It’s a poor effort that goes straight into the defensive wall.
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22 min: This is arguably the most entertaining match of the tournament thus far - hopefully Croatia’s fans will be too absorbed in the action to act on any foolish plans they may or may not have hatched for the 30-minute mark. David Silva is the latest to try his luck for Spain, but his low drive from distance is saved rather unconvincingly by Subasic.
21 min: Nolito takes possession of a long Fabregas ball from deep on the left side of the Croatia penalty area. His first touch is immaculate, but he’s crowded off the ball before he can square it for Morata. Great, inch-perfect delivery from Fabregas.
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18 min: Croatia win a corner, which Rakitic takes. His delivery is aimed towards Vedran Corluka, who is unable to get a clean header from the edge of the six-yard box. Spain clear.
18 min: Anyway, back to that goal. There was a suggestion, in the first phase of the build-up, that Morata was offside. The general consensus seems to have been that he was not.
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14 min: Crikey, it’s all going off here! David De Gea attempts to play the ball out from the back, but plays it straight to Ivan Rakitic, chips the goalkeeper with an audacious effort from distance. It’s a beautiful effort, but the ball hits the crossbar, bounces on the goal-line, hits the foot of Pique, who was back trying to clear it off the line, but somehow doesn’t go in.
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13 min: Sergio Ramos gifts possession to Kalinic, who shoots from distance. De Gea puts the ball out for a corner, from which nothing comes.
10 min: Spain go close to doubling their lead, with Silva instrumental again. He picks out Nolito with a cross and the Spain striker touches a smidge wide.
8 min: A splendid goal sprinkled with just a hint of offside in the build-up. David Silva was the creator, taking out three Croatian defenders with a slide-rule pass into the penalty area for Cesc Fabregas to run on to. He shoots across the face of goal, taking out Danijel Subasic and Alvaro Morato has the easy task of poking the ball into an empty net.
Goal! Croatia 0-1 Spain (Morata 7)
Alvaro Morato sidefoots Spain ahead with his third goal of the tournament.
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6 min: Croatia skipper Dario Srna pounces on a half-clearance to try his luck from distance from outside the penalty area, but practically blasts the ball out of the stadium.
5 min: Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic gets an early touch. He’s a vision in fluorescent pink.
2 min: Croatia A mix-up over a bouncing ball between Gerard Pique and David De Gea almost allows Mikola Kalinic in to score from close range for Croatia. Spain’s goalkeeper is quick to react and avert the danger.
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Croatia v Spain has begun ...
1 min: Spain kick off, their players wearing white shirts with a weird red and yellow check pattern across one shoulder and the majority of the chest, white shorts and white socks. Croatia’s players wear blue shirts, blue shorts and blue socks. Vedran Corluka is wearing his water polo hat, to protect that head wound he picked up earlier in the tournament and quite a few Croatia fans are wearing similar headwear in solidarity with their centre-half.
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Not long now ...
The teams emerge from the tunnel, led by referee Bjorn Kuipers, who doesn’t look particularly perturbed by speculation that he might be attacked. Here’s hoping he’s well protected by the stadium security if anything unsavoury is afoot.
Spain’s national anthem is played first, now it’s the turn of Croatia. Spain are unchanged tonight, while Croatia make five changes to the team that drew against the Czech Republic.
Some disturbing news ...
Reports are circulating that Croatian fans are planning further disturbances during tonight’s match, including an attack on referee Bjorn Kuipers in the 30th minute.
“We have information that the same people that caused trouble in St. Etienne will try the same, and even try to attack the referee in 30th minute of the match,” said Nikola Kajkic, president of the Croatian Police Union.
@bglendenning FYI: The group who disrupted the last Croatia game are threatening again. 30th minute. Targeting the referee.
— Señor Mono (@MonoDelDiablo) June 21, 2016
@bglendenning They followed through on their threats last time. Hope the security personnel are paying attention this time. #CROESP
— Señor Mono (@MonoDelDiablo) June 21, 2016
@bglendenning P.S. Most Croatians agree with their anger, but deplore their actions. Sad I even have to mention that. #CROESP
— Señor Mono (@MonoDelDiablo) June 21, 2016
Croatia v Spain line-ups
Croatia: Subasic, Srna, Corluka, Jedvaj, Vrsaljko, Rog, Badelj, Perisic, Rakitic, Pjaca, Nikola Kalinic.
Subs: Vargic, Strinic, Kovacic, Kramaric, Modric, Schildenfeld, Brozovic, Mandzukic, Coric, Vida, Cop, Lovre Kalinic.
Spain: De Gea, Juanfran, Pique, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Fabregas, Busquets, Iniesta, Silva, Morata, Nolito.
Subs: Casillas, Azpilicueta, Bartra, Koke, Lucas, Pedro, Bellerin,
Thiago, San Jose, Bruno, Aduriz, Sergio Rico.
Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland)
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Will Croatia's fans behave tonight?
It’s difficult to know, not least because many of them despise their national FA’s chairman, Davor Suker, the 48-year-old former Sevillla, Real Madrid, Arsenal and West Ham striker who remains the top scorer in Croatian international football history.
Indeed, such is their contempt for a man who they see as little more than a stooge for his friend the suspected criminal, former Dinamo Zagreb executive director and “agent” Zdravko Mamic, that many Croatia fans take every available opportunity to publicly embarrass Suker as they believe he is more interested in advancing his own career as a football politician than solving any of the myriad problems currently blighting Croatian football.
These fans are so desperate to see the back of Suker and Mamic that they actively want a team they believe has been stolen from them to be expelled from this competition. Their last act of insubordination, during that match against the Czech Republic earned their federation a €100,000 fine. Some interesting reading here - make of it what you will.
Spanish manager Vicente del Bosque speaks
On the subject of squad rotation: “I don’t know if it’s ideal to rest players right now,” he said. “The players have got some rhythm going and it could be counterproductive to change things. Andrés Iniesta is doing great work going forward. He is in great shape and doing really well.”
On tonight’s opposition: “Croatia are a really well-organised outfit,” he said. “We are going to try to beat them and we will pick what we think are the 11 best players at this moment in time. Bear in mind that Croatia are possibly one of the best teams we have seen at the tournament so far.”
Croatia coach Ante Cacic speaks
On the battle against Spain: “This is the game that decides who will be first in our group,” he said. “We are up against a quality side, the double European champions, a team full of quality, of players from Barcelona and Real Madrid. A team that know the game and take their chances. They have been playing big games like these for years.”
On the importance of this game: “In some ways we have to have an eye on what is coming up in the knockout stage, so we will use this game as preparation for that,” he said. “We deserve to get to the next round, as do Spain. The group was really tough. We threw away victory against the Czech Republic, but this match now will help define how Croatia do from here onwards.”
On Spanish manager Vincent del Bosque’s flattering comments about his team: “Del Bosque says we’re playing the best football in the group?” he asked. “I haven’t heard that but it’s a big compliment coming from one of the best coaches of one of the best national teams.”
Greetings sports fans ...
It’s Group D for “denouement” as Croatia take on Spain in Stade de Bordeaux and Czech Republic go toe-to-toe with Turkey at Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens. Croatia and Spain have been two of the more impressive teams in this tournament, but having thrown away a two-goal lead in the wake of Luka Modric’s departure through injury and subsequent crowd trouble that marred the closing stages of their match against Czech Republic.
Croatia may well fancy their chances of leapfrogging the title holders to top the group by beating a team that has looked beatable in recent months. They will have to do so without Modric, who has been ruled out of this match through injury and will probably be replaced by Mateo Kovacic, his Real Madrid team-mate.
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