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1015 vs. Croatia
  Sunday, 18 November 2018
UEFA Nations League 2018-19 League A Group four match


England 2 Croatia 1 [0-0]
 

The National Stadium connected by EE, Wembley, Brent, Greater London
Kick-off (GMT): 2.00pm
Attendance: 78,221
Southgate surpasses one million at Wembley

95 minutes 46:15 & 48:32 Andrej Kramarić kicked-off
   
   
[1≡1] Jesse Lingard 78 77:24
Harry Kane: CREATIVE
 one-yard tap-in after Kane poked the ball through from a long Gomez throw-in

[2-1] Harry Kane 85 84:30
Ben Chilwell: CREATIVE
 stretched on 6-yard line to poke the ball in with right-foot from a Chilwell free-kick
[0-1] Andrej Kramarić 57 56:32
deflected off Dier to loop over Pickford from 14-yards
Ross Barkley 26 25:08  
  Marcelo Brozović  67 66:19
Tin Jedvaj
67 66:22
Dejan Lovren 89 88:28
Commentator: Martin Tyler with Alan Smith
 

Match Summary

Officials from Greece England Squad

Type

             
Croatia Squad
             
Referee (sky blue)
Anastasios Sidiropoulos
 39 (9 August 1979), Rhodes, FIFA-listed 2011.
15 Goal Attempts 11
7 Attempts on Target 3
Assistant Referees 0 Hit Bar/Post 0
Polychronis Kostaras
35 (1983)
Lazaros Dimitriadis 9 Corner Kicks Won 4
Fourth official
Damianos Efthimiadis, 45 (1973), FIFA-listed 2010.
 
Additional assistant Referees - Anastasios Papapetrou, 33 (13 January 1985), and Ioannis Papadopoilos
UEFA Delegate - Martinus Richardus Maria Sturkenboom, 65 (3 April 1953), Utrecht, Netherlands
3 Offside Calls Against 2
9 Fouls Conceded 11
63% Possession 37%
 

England Team

 

Rank:

FIFA (25 Oct 2018) 5th
EFO ranking Group One
ELO rating 8th
Colours: The Nike 2018 home shirt - White v-necked jerseys with red trim on collar, white shorts, white socks.
Capt: Harry Kane ¹³
15th, W 8 - D 3 - L 4 - F 26 - A 18
.
Manager: Gareth Southgate, 48 (3 September 1970), appointed caretaker manager on 27 September 2016, appointed as permanent manager on 30 November 2016.
31st match, W 17 - D 8 - L 6 - F 49 - A 24.
England Lineup
1 Pickford, Jordan L. 24
256 days
7 March 1994 G Everton FC 15 14ᵍᵃ
2 Walker, Kyle A. 28
174 days
28 May 1990 RB Manchester City FC 44 0
3
Chilwell, Benjamin J. 21
332 days
21 December 1996 LB Leicester City FC 5 0
4 Dier, Eric J.E. 24
307 days
15 January 1994 DM Tottenham Hotspur FC 38 3
5 Gomez, Joseph D. 21
179 days
23 May 1997 RCD Liverpool FC 6 0
6 Stones, John 24
174 days
28 May 1994 LCD Manchester City FC 37 2
7 Barkley, Ross, off 63rd min. 24
348 days
5 December 1993 LM
 
Chelsea FC
 
25
 
2
 
26th min. after he brought down Modrić as he was sprinting away.
     
8 Delph, Fabian, off 73rd min. 28
362 days
21 November 1989 RM Manchester City FC 18 0
9
Kane, Harry E. 25
113 days
28 July 1993 CF Tottenham Hotspur FC 35 20
the 23rd player to score twenty goals for England
10 Sterling, Raheem S. 23
345 days
8 December 1994
in Kingston, Jamaica
RF Manchester City FC 47 4
11 Rashford, Marcus, off 73rd min. 20
18 days
31 October 1997 LF Manchester United FC 31 6
England Substitutes
scoreline: England 0 Croatia 1
20 Alli, Bamidele J., on 63rd min. (62:52) for Barkley 22
221 days
11 April 1996 LM Tottenham Hotspur FC 33 23 3
10
14 Lingard, Jesse E., on 73rd min. (72:30) for Delph 25
338 days
15 December 1992
RAM

Manchester United FC

22

13 4

9
92nd goal scored by an England substitute  
17 Sancho, Jadon M., on 73rd min. (72:31)  for Rashford 18
238 days
25 March 2000 LF Bsv Borussia 09 Dortmund, Germany 3 1 0
3
result: England 2 Croatia 1
unused substitutes: 12-Trent Alexander-Arnold, 13-Jack Butland, 15-Lewis Dunk, 16-Michael Keane, 18-Luke Shaw, 19-Harry Winks, 21-Alex McCarthy, 22-Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 23-Callum WIlson.
team notes: Jesse Lingard's appearance as substitute extends Manchester United's record of providing players appearances for the National Team, now at 1,300.
Gareth Southgate is the first England manager to face Croatia three times.
records: Lingard's goal is the twentieth goal by a substitute at the new National Stadium.
The 33rd goal scored by a substitute in qualification history.
This is the seventeenth match played by England in 2018, the same as in 1966, equaling the record.
This is their tenth victory this year, a feat not achieved since 1986, but still four short of the record set in 1966.
 
4-3-3 Pickford -
Walker, Gomez, Stones, Chilwell -
Barkley
(Alli), Dier, Delph (Lingard) -
Sterling, Kane, Rashford
(Sancho)
Averages (Starting XI): Age 24 years 204 days Appearances/Goals 27.4 3.3
 

Croatia Team

 

Rank:

FIFA (25 Oct 2018) 4th
EFO ranking
n/a
ELO rating
10th to 11th
Colours: Made by Nike - Black and navy chequered shirts (plain black reverse) with navy collar/cuffs, black shorts, red socks with black calf hoop.
Capt: Luka Modrić Manager: Zlatko Dalić, 52 (26 October 1966), appointed 7 October 2017
twentieth match, W 11 - D 4 - L 5 - F 33 - A 29.
Croatia Lineup
12 Kalinić, Lovre 28
229 days
3 April 1990 GK KAA Gent, Belgium 16 0
2 Vrsaljko, Šime, injured off 26th min. 26
312 days
10 January 1992 RB FC Internazionale Milano, Italy 45 0
6 Lovren, Dejan 29
136 days
5 July 1989
in Zenica, Yugoslavia
RCD
 
Liverpool FC, England
 
50
 
2
 
89th min. for complaining too much at the referee
         
21 Vida, Domagoj 29
203 days
29 April 1989 LCD Beşiktaş JK, Turkey 71 4
16 Jedvaj, Tin 22
355 days
28 November 1995 LB/RB
Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Germany
 
18
 
2
 
67th min. for pulling back on Rashford before Brozović clattered him down.
     
10 Modrić, Luka 33
70 days
9 September 1985 RDM Real Madrid CF, Spain 118 14
11 Brozović, Marcelo 25
2 days
16 November 1992 LDM
 
FC Internazionale Milano, Italy
 
44
 
6
 
67th min. after disagreeing with the decision that he fouled Rashford.
     
18 Rebić, Ante, off half time 25
58 days
21 September 1993 RM Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany 26 2
8 Vlašić, Nikola, off 79th min. 21
45 days
4 October 1997 AM PFC Central Sport Club of the Army, Moscow, Russia, on loan from Everton FC, England 4 0
4 Perišić, Ivan 29
289 days
2 February 1989 LM FC Internazionale Milano, Italy 78 21
9
Kramarić, Andrej 27
152 days
19 June 1991 CF TSv 1899 Hoffenheim, Germany 42 12
Croatia Substitutes
3 Milić, Antonio, on 26th min.  (25:45) for Vrsaljko 24
253 days
10 March 1994 LB RSC Anderlecht, Belgium 3 0
7 Brekalo, Josip, on half time for Rebić 23
148 days
23 June 1998 CF VfL Wolfsburg, Germany 2 0
scoreline: England 1 Croatia 1
17 Rog, Marko, on 79th min. (78:15) for Vlašić 23
122 days
19 July 1995 LM SSC Napoli, Italy 16 0
result: England 2 Croatia 1
unused substitutes: 1-Dominik Livaković, 5-Matej Mitrović, 13-Duje Ćaleta-Car, 14-Filip Bradarić, 15-Mario Pašalić, 19-Milan Badelj, 20-Marko Pjaca, 22-Josip Pivarić, 23-Karlo Letica.
 
4-2-3-1 Kalinić -
Vrsaljko
(Milić), Lovren, Vida, Jedvaj -
Modrić, Brozović -
Rebić
(Brekalo), Vlasić (Rog), Perišić -
Kramarić
Averages (Starting XI): Age 27 years 104 days Appearances/Goals 46.5 5.6

  

    Match Report by Mike Payne

England went into this game, full of confidence that they could gain the win they needed to progress in the new Nations League competition. However, there were all sorts of permutations depending on the result, so a full Wembley Stadium was geared up to travel through the emotions and ride the roller-coaster. England did not let them down and provided a belter of an afternoon.

A mistake by Jordan Pickford in the third minute almost gifted Croatia a dream start as he dashed from goal, hesitated as a shot hit him on the chest and then watched helplessly as Ante Rebic fired the rebound over the top of the empty goal. That was a let off, but England soon knuckled down and gradually took control. John Stones sent Kyle Walker scampering down the right but goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic beat Harry Kane to the ball. Raheem Sterling’s pace was already causing Croatia problems and a flick by Ross Barkley almost sent him through. That led to a corner, which then led to another as the England pressure grew.

England fashioned a fine chance in the 11th minute when a superb through ball from Kane sent Sterling away with just the goalkeeper to beat. He shot hard, but straight at Kalinic, and the goalkeeper blocked the shot. That was the best chance so far but immediately there was another close call as Stones headed across goal only for Kane to scuff his shot wide, the bounce beating the England talisman. Once again, despite the missed chances England had started really well and the Croatian defenders were using all their experience to stay in the game.

On 15 minutes another attack made everyone wonder how the ball stayed out of the visitors goal. Fabian Delph hit a fabulous pass towards Sterling but the goalkeeper blocked the ball. It ran loose to Kane though and the striker shot was headed off the line by Tin Jedvaj. The ball rebounded to Kane but this time the goalkeeper dived to turn the shot away. It was intense pressure from England, but they couldn’t quite find that crucial finish.

Croatia made a couple of dangerous breaks and it was obvious England would have to maintain concentration. Luka Modric is a class act in the midfield and from one attack Stones had to cut out a dangerous cross from Ivan Perisic. eventually Pickford saved the ball and immediately sent one of those terrific raking passes to Marcus Rashford who broke at tremendous speed. Only a last ditch tackle stopped the Manchester United youngster. Two minutes later and Ben Chilwell, having another fine match, fired in an angled drive which Kalinic did well to save.

There was a little bit of a lull in the play as the match approached the half-hour mark. An injury to Simi Vrsaljko meant that Croatia had to make an early change, Antonio Millic coming on to replace the defender. The Croatian attack were cleverly inter-changing and the England defenders had to be alert at all times.

On 40 minutes though a lovely move involving Chilwell, Delph and Kane ended with Barkley hitting the side-netting with his shot. At the other end Rebic again shot over and right on the whistle Perisic was only inches away from a Modric cross. At half-time it was tight and tense, although England had had much the better of the play, and the best chances. All to play for after the break.

The second-half continued in the same way, with England on top but Croatia dangerous on the break. Modric again finds Perisic with a fine pass but Stones is quickly across to stifle the danger. Eric Dier clears and Sterling’s pass sends Rashford sprinting away again on a fine run, but Kalinic again makes the save. England were so much on top, but they just could not find a killer finish. As so often happens in these situations, one lapse in concentration gives the opposition a chance, and this time Croatia take it. In the 57th minute the ball finds Andrej Kramaric in a central position 12 yards out. He is surrounded by defenders, although no challenge comes in. Kramaric twists and turns and eventually finds the space for a two shots, the first is blocked but rebounds to him, and the second shot hits Dier on the shin and loops over Pickford. The goalkeeper seemed to dive too early, but the end result is that Croatia take the lead and England need two goals.

Croatia were cock-a-hoop now and came close again with another break that led to Marcello Brozovic hitting his shot too high. At this point Gareth Southgate sent on Dele Alli for Barkley and with 69 minutes on the clock Croatia seemed in control, although Walker saw his shot saved by Kalinic. With 17 minutes to go Southgate brought on Jadon Sancho and Jesse Lingard for Rashford and Delph, to try and improve the attacking options. It was a brave move and after Croatia went close again the England changes came good.

In the 78th minute England had a throw in on the right. Joe Gomez took it and sent a long throw into the area. The ball flicked off someone’s head to Kane and although he was challenged he still managed to flick the ball under the keeper and towards the goalline. The ball was going agonisingly slowly, but Lingard was sharpest and tapped it over the line from six inches! Game on!

It was ironic because that goal had come against the run of play too, and it was England who now had their tails up. The game was on a knife-edge and the crowd really raised the decibel levels. The danger was not over though and Lingard turned from hero to superhero as he cleared a header from Domagoj Vida off the line. It was fever pitch, and in the 85th minute England won a free-kick on the left. The impressive Chilwell curled in a beauty and there, stretching at the far post was Kane, toe-ending the ball past Kalinic. Rarely has this new Wembley seen scenes like it as the crowd and the players went mental! It was still not over but England played out those last minutes very well with Stones and Gomez superb, Chilwell, the find of the season, and every player putting in a magnificent shift to see it over the line.

Strength, skill, character, resilience, all the things you say about Croatia, but this time we were talking about England! What a game, what a result, and what a way to finish what has been a terrific year for the England team.

To sum up, there was no doubt England deserved to win this match and although Croatia were often dangerous, there was no doubt that England had the better of the game, and the chances. These really are exciting times for our National team.
 

Source Notes

TheFA.com
BBC Sport
HNS-CFF
 

Mike Payne - football historian and contributor
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