Croatia comes behind to eliminate Denmark

Nizhny Novgorod (Russia), (EFE) .- Croatia suffered to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Russia and keep alive the illusion of a generation who waited for the extension to eliminate Denmark, it was about to end the story of Luka Modric in the World Cups.

The Croatian magician's team was turned off at the most untimely time. Part of the blame was the Danish rocky approach, which managed to undo the ideas of the Balkan star. The Real Madrid player lives with the constant threat that every game could be his last match of a World Cup and against the Danes that he was going to say goodbye.

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel insisted on embittering Croatia with unsuspected limits. And most importantly, Modric, who stopped a penalty a few minutes before the end of the second part of the extension. Then, he continued his success with three more shots stopped in the shootout. But, fortunately for Croatia Danijel Subasic stops one more.

At the beginning of the match, the weight of history lurked both national teams, which since almost the World Cup had the rearview mirror of the past. Especially Croatia who seems to live from the exploit of France from 1998, where he reached his peak after reaching the semifinals and finished third.

Denmark only remembered his best World Cup result. World days before confronting Croatia . They were one step away from equalizing the quarterfinals, their record, also in France in 1998. But, for all of Denmark, it seems to affect the lesser the daylonger.

This was not equal in the Balkan ensemble. Some of his members are already tired of these comparisons and wanted to sit at the table and continue in the competition to match the generation of Davor Suker, now president of his federation. So, in the future, they would become the comparative generation.

In the lead, Luka Modric. And opposite, Christian Eriksen. The teacher and his successor, face to face with more fear for the first. A defeat, with 33 years, would leave him without World Cup. Probably, that of Russia, will be the last. The second, has even more opportunities to come.

However, on paper, Modric is much better accompanied. Beside it has high quality players who in the first phase managed to elevate Croatia to the pedestal of the favorites. And, against Denmark, Zlatko Dalic's team was favorite

But everything started backwards for Croatia which in the second minute equaled the first goal. The only novelty in Denmark's lineup, left-back Jonas Knudsen, made a tremendous kick that eventually finished Mathias Jorgesen at the back of Danijel Subasic's net.

It was a stick that lasted very little, as in two minutes Croatia repaired the mess thanks to the premiere of Mario Mandzukic in the competition. The Juventus player recovered a rebound inside the small area and, with a lot of opportunism, equalized the match.

Then another fight started, that of the midfielder government that no one has won. The two protagonists, Modric and Eriksen, were barely able to offer a brushstroke of their good football, although the Dane was the closest he could score with a poison pbad that hit the side Subasic goal right.

Croatia dominated the leather almost completely, the Danes dared another time, this time from Martin Braithwaite, who met Subasic in heads-up. In front, Dalic's men barely responded with a distant shot from Ivan Rakitic and a header from Dejan Lovren after a poisoned kick by Modric.

Croatia in the same scenario that defeated Argentina, Nizhny Novgorod stadium, and with the same range, expected a second party similar to that that 's. he had not long ago almost left Messi's team.

The magic this time did not happen. Hareide 's midfielder, Lbade Schone, was bottled. Suddenly, the darkness has become. There was little light, but it was completely extinguished. Nobody could generate anything.

Modric and Eriksen were canceled and the party became a tostón that no one was able to control. The stories of past generations have begun to be enjoyable for the public who, in the absence of football, has spent their time encouraging the host country, making the wave and putting the flashlights of the mobile phone to generate a luminous effect. 19659002] Time pbaded and only a genie could cause the dam. In the absence of football, the individuals hoped to move a marker that seemed mummified. Only two shots were scored, one for each team, and both were innocent. They tried without success Nicolai Jorgensen and Ante Rebic

There was more. Croatia did not dazzle and disappointed. Denmark has done its job and the extension has made its appearance. In this one, the Scandinavian box takes a step forward and gives a little shock with a distant shot from Schone who answered Andrej Kramaric with a poisoned center without consequences.

With the players exhausted, the last fifteen minutes were supposed to be a procedure for extension. And then, Modric 's light bulb went almost to the end with a superb pbad for Ante Rabic, who faced Schmeichel and was the target of a penalty from Mathias Jorgensen.

Then Modric caught the ball and decided went to the penalty point to end the suffering. And, as has happened to many great players in history, it has failed at the height of the moment. Schmeichel, with his father in the row turbulent, stopped the shot at the Croatian magician and the tie was decided the penalty shot.

After, the story was cruel with Schmeichel. He continued to hold penalties in the final round. But his teammates did not succeed, including Eriksen, who collided with Subasic. In the end, Ivan Rakitic scored the final, avoided a tragic day Modric and his generation will not be a lost generation. If Russia allows it in quarters, of course.