In Croatia, they are satisfied with the Moscow draw with the Russian team.
Croatian media are unanimous in assessing the performance of the wards of Slaven Bilić in the Moscow match: a point on the field of a principled opponent is a good result in the fight for a ticket to the 2008 European Championship, although the updated Croatian team had a chance to leave Cherkizovo as the winner.
The Watrenich coach himself, who first led the national team in the official qualifying round game yesterday, admitted in a post-match interview to RTL that he hoped to win, but was pleased with the final result.
“I want to thank the players for the heroic struggle and the implementation of tactical and technical installations. This in the current state of the field was not an easy task. In the second half, we had a critical interval from the 60th to the 75th minute. The rest of the time we controlled the game and, I think, were closer to scoring, "said Bilich." A draw in Moscow is a great incentive for further struggle. He was pleased with everyone, especially the defense. In the first half, we were embarrassed to attack and our actions ahead were not concrete, but to start the qualifying cycle is a great p result ".
According to Bilić, as expected by the coaching staff of the guests, the biggest threat to the Croatian goal came from Andrei Arshavin, whom Bilić called a truly world-class player, adding that the defenders, led by goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa, eventually managed to neutralize the Zenit striker.
Guardian of the gates of the guests shared his vision of the match at Lokomotiv. “I think everyone will agree that this was a real men's game in which we looked great and laid a solid foundation for future success, ” Pletikosa said in an interview with RTL. “Our team managed to build until the lawn looked like a plowed field, after which it was simply impossible to play combination football. The defense was excellent, her performance was the result of work in training, during which we managed to play well. As a result, the absence of the main defenders was not noticeable . "
The Croatian press especially praises the goalkeeper of the Donetsk Shakhtar for Semshov's strike, reflected in the 61st minute, after which Arshavin only by a miracle didn’t finish the ball into the net of the Croatian goal.
Separate compliments in the Quartet of Defenders were awarded to the player of the Zagreb “Dynamo” Vedran Chorluka. He was noted by the bronze medalist of the 1998 World Cup Zvonimir Boban. "Chorluka was incredibly good on the right flank, although, as everyone knows, he is the central defender, " said the illustrious midfielder of Milan, who came to Moscow to support former partner in the national team Bilich. Boban added that without expelled Srna and Olic, the Croats did not have enough speed. He suggested that the return of violators of discipline will give the quality of the game “watermelon”.
“The 4-4-2 set-up brought an advantage in the middle of the field. We functioned very well in this game scheme. Given the poor condition of the lawn, we believed that possession of the ball would play an important role. This was especially evident in the first half. We only needed a goal But, if someone on the eve of his trip to Moscow offered us a goalless draw, we would have agreed without hesitation, " Boban summed up.
Croatian journalists complain about missed moments when for a couple of minutes at the beginning of the second half, Klasnich first missed the finish, after Rapaich hit the post with a long-range strike. And then Eduardo da Silva “distinguished himself” - he did not outplay the Russian goalkeeper Akinfeev when he parried the insidious blow of Kranjčar because of the free-kick. At the end of the match, Klasnich could have scored more, but the ball after his strike from the Chorluka pitch only struck the post. The most controversial moment in the match is called Petrich’s strike in the 75th minute - he was blocked in the penalty area by Sergey Ignashevich in the fall with his hand. Slaven Bilich did not comment on this situation, since he did not see what exactly happened in the Russian penalty box, Index.hr reports.
Summing up the results of the debut performance of the Croatian national team in the qualifying cycle, the SportNet.hr portal calls the Moscow match “one of the most uncomfortable away matches” and believes that 0-0 is a very good result for the Bilic team, which lost seven players.
“Guus Hiddink is still not a magician. He was not able to turn the Russian team into a powerful machine in just a few months. If we add that both teams made a lot of new players and also faced numerous injuries, then the draw probably satisfied the appetites both coaches, ” SportNet.hr sums up.
Boyan SHOCH