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43 "Vrsaljko Lets One Fly
Vrsaljko climbs 35 meters and kicks off ground. It's frustration too. But the central defenders of England are part of it: they regroup very tightly in the center each time Croatia arrives on the field, and they win all the balls that come in.
44: Off Target
Both teams look for a more accurate shot: England has four shots, and only Trippier's goal was on target. Croatia fired four shots, with only one from Ante Rebic on the net
40: Croatia Frustrated
Rebic tore Young from behind, giving a free kick to the left sideline. This is not a danger, it was at the end of England and did not go very far.
38: England Playing Fast
This last piece, and another follow-up of Trippier in the next moments, show that England is a little faster, a little faster, a little bit faster. still younger. They have a length ahead of Croatia with each ball, and that is a problem, especially in Croatia. Each lost ball is won by an English player, each lucky bounce seems to find an English player. Croatia is just looking … well, old or tired or slow. None of them is a good thing against this England.
But it also shows on the other end with Mandzukic. Croatia simply does not have the speed to punish England, turn a half-chance into a good opportunity, a breakaway breakaway.
36: Lingard Misses
A pbad from Kane and a breakaway from Vrsaljko springs Dele left, but the defender gets back up. Dele waits, waits, waits and then rolls a perfect ball to an open Lingard in the center. He, unfortunately, corks and sends it wide. Great luck lost there and he knows it.
33 "Young puts England out of trouble
Ashley Young's super tackle on another dangerous crossover of Croatia. He got closer to Rebic – again – at the last second, and without fail, to sweep what would have been a clear blow to Pickford on the run.
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32: Collision!
A few seconds later, Rebic flew this time – colliding with Pickford on a high balloon at the top of the English penalty area. But Cakir calls a foul – they do not like players bumping into the goalkeepers – and England is safe.
32: Pickford Saves
Rebic responds to the other end with a laser shot after a good job of Modric Deep, but the bullet touches Pickford's chin and he l & rsquo; easily removes both hands
30: KANE … No!
I do not know how Kane's two plans stayed there. A superb Lingard ball pushed him behind the offside trap (barely) and his shot from the right foot was ejected. But he controls the rebound at an even tighter angle next to the left post and makes a second attempt. It hits a few things, but neither the back of the net nor turns too high and – safely if you are in Croatia –
27: Sterling hits the gas
Sterling wins a Running with Lovren – well, not a race, since Sterling was always going to win. But Lovren brings him back with one hand to the chest and kicks the shin, and Sterling falls as the smallest porcelain cabinet in the world. Free kick. It's a good one: Subasic has to pick him up. But he strikes a blow to temporarily put an end to the threat.
25: Another chance for England
Jesse Lingard is behind on the right but his shot in the middle is terrible – he misses two teammates, maybe three.
22: Kane Off-Game
Now Kane is walking away a few steps too far, and when the turnover of Croatia falls to Sterling, he returns it to the big attacker. has not yet retreated onisde. It did not really matter at the end: Kane was shooting to the left. But he was two yards away.
21: Lovren Kane Clobbers
Lovren hammered Kane in the middle to stop a breakaway. It was a N.F.L. security tackle there, but he had no choice. Kane looked around him, and it would have been deadly.
20: Sterling Working
England clearly loves the Sterling-Vida clash on the right: he continues to try to get him around the corner. But Vida is still holding up there.
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19: Perisic Fires and Misses
Perisic shoots from far to the left and strikes a shot into Pickford's side net. He stepped out of Stones' heel, but Cakir did not see him and kick the goal – to Perisic's obvious consternation.
17: Fans Helping Out
Feeling their team needs a hand in a piece "Cro-Ah-C-Yah". But as soon as the team moves upward, it runs out.
14 & # 39 ;: More Danger in Turns
A nice game between Ashley Young and Dele Alli ends up making the latter jump to the top of the box. He feeds Trippier on the other side, and his cross is blocked for another turn. He finds Maguire – again – and he gets closer a bit but still sends it wide
12 "Maguire Heads High
An English corner, their first. Young to take. No more danger of piece set up. Harry Maguire takes the lead, but sends the ball high
11: Croatia needs to regroup
Croatia seems a little bored, and a little demoralized, after the goal. Lovren just hit a ball in the midfield stands after a teammate sent him back to the place with England players around. Not smart.
9: Croatia makes a corner
Now it's Croatia with a corner. Modric to take it, but there's a little jostling on the spot so we take a break. England clears – awkwardly – and Kane comes out almost Sterling. But his mark returns to expert poke free with a toe around-reached. Risky game, done beautifully.
7: Sterling gives a crush on Croatia
Raheem Sterling is causing trouble right now, but Subasic is about to smother the second left of its purpose.
6: Set Pieces Regulate This Cup
I guess we should not be surprised by another set set goal: it's 70-70 !!!!!! – In this tournament. Or almost half of the total.
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5 "GOAL! England Leads
Kieran Trippier just went into action and took it as a pro. Super free shot up and right – and Subasic never had a chance. This goal is the first goal of Trippier for England
4: Free kick for England
Dele wins a free kick in a dangerous place at the top of the circle in front of the Croatian goal. Trippier and Ashley Young stand on it, and now Maguire arrives with his two cents.
2 & # 39 ;: The referee exercises control
An interlocutor for Lingard's referee Cakir, just after Dele has one. There is a lot of nervous energy here, and the referee wants to immediately keep control over the extra things.
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is a coach. Gareth Southgate is in the shelter, keeping his vest tidy
1: Wrong departure for England
A turnover in England and Henderson commits a fault for stop what could have been a fast counter. Expect a lot of that
1: Kickoff!
It was the loudest roar for the countdown of the coup de send: and we left.
Clbady
The end of Croatia unfolds a large banner that says "Thank you Russia" in Cyrillic during its national anthem. That's how you win on neutrals, people
Cree Rally of England
Well, it's weird: they play the hit of the 1990s "Football & # 39 Coming Home "on the speakers inside Luzhniki. Long joke – the song laments the failures of England – it has become the rallying cry of the team. But I would not be delighted with singalong if I was Croatian.
Croatia: The Odds
England is a slight favorite in this game, with the odds of translating into a 60 percent chance of advancing. The over / under is two goals. Harry Kane is the big favorite to score the first goal, at 4-1, followed by his teammate Raheem Sterlin at 9-1. Mario Mandzukic is the most likely candidate of Croatia at 11-1
England vs. Croatia: the fans
The two fans seem to feel the history inherent in tonight's match – a first World Cup final for Croatia, a first since 1966 for England – and have become in force. The English are already singing, and they roared for their team. But Croats also have numbers and full voices. The atmosphere, at least, will be more electric than France-Belgium was last night. It would be great if the match was up.
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The Role of Raheem
Raheem Sterling continues to be a lightning rod every time people talk about England, which continues to be confusing, at least for director Gareth Southgate. Sterling, Southgate notes (correctly), is an essential part of what England does. His speed destabilizes the opposing defenses, allowing him to attack from deeper positions than some of his teammates. He can work on either side of the field, change sides to unbalance the teams. And his ability to work in tight spaces and to hunt even the most hopeful of long balls makes him dangerous at any time. Yes, he has not scored for England since October 2015, a point that his critics know by heart. But that's not always what Sterling does on the match sheet, which is the most important, really; it's the mere threat that he could do something that increases his value.
"I'm not surprised that Croatia has identified Raheem as a key player," said Southgate this week. "If you look at all of our attack patterns and how our top four combined and played, he played a role in that."
The starting line of England
The alignments are out and England does not change
Goalkeeper: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Defenders: 6 Harry Maguire (Leicester ), 5 John Stones (Manchester City), 12 Kieran Trippier (Tottenham), 2 Kyle Walker (Manchester City), 18 Ashley Young (Manchester United)
Midfielder: 20 Dele Alli (Tottenham), 8 Jordan Henderson ( Liverpool), 7 Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
Forwards: 9 Harry Kane (Tottenham), 10 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
And why would they do it, with all that works so well? right here. It's the same three-way back line, with Walker, Stones and Maguire, flanked by Trippier and Young, who will again look to advance and help in the attack. Henderson gets solitary duty in the central midfield, and his teammates (Lingard, Dele Alli, Trippier and Young) will have to make sure that he will not be overrun by Modric and Rakitic
Croatia & # 39; Starting Lineup
For Croatia, Marcelo Brozovic was chosen ahead of Andrej Kramaric. Brozovic was the choice against Denmark in the round of 16, but Kramaric played in the quarter-final against Russia. Brozovic's choice is a defense move because he is a deeper midfielder, while Kramaric is playing just behind the attacker, Mario Mandzukic.
Goalkeeper: 23 Danijel Subasic (Monaco)
Defenders: 21 Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), 3 Ivan Strinic (Milan), 6 Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), 2 Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielder : 10 Luka Modric (Real Madrid), 7 Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), 11 Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan)
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Attackers: 17 Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), 4 Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan), 18 Ante Rebic (Fiorentina)
England vs. Croatia: History
L & # 39; England has not played in Croatia since qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. England won both matches with ease, 5-1 at home and 4-1 away. English stars in such games as Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. are no longer part of the configuration of the national team. But one of Croatia's two goals was scored by Mario Mandzukic, 22, who scored the winning goal against Denmark in the round of 16.
The representative of the Lone Premier League of Croatia
living in the Premier League, and the league had players scattered throughout the first semifinal of Tuesday, too. But Croatia has only one player who makes a living in England: Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren
Set Piece Trending
Samuel Umtiti's goal against Belgium on Tuesday was the 69th goal of this World Cup, on 158 all. This is a drastic increase in recent years, and speaks of technical changes (it's easier to draw coins in a short window than flowing attacking moves) and tactical (referees badist the potential faults in the repair area). But Croatia and England are both able to score points, so we can expect the trend to continue today.
• Eight of England's 11 goals in Russia came out of the competition. And Harry Kane are probably a representative collection: three shots on goal, two goals in set-shot and a shot from someone else who hit him and came in. So, it's not exactly Brazil around 1970 or anything.
19659105] The Englishman Harry Kane is still online to win the Golden Boot as top scorer in the World Cup. Kane has six goals. The Dutchman Romelu Lukaku is fourth in the match for third place and the only active players with three are the French Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé
England Vs. Croatia Top Story Lines
• England played in a World Cup semifinal in 1990, when he lost to penalty kicks in West Germany, who won the trophy . Croatia played its only other semifinal of the World Cup in 1998; • The stakes of a World Cup semifinal – the mere idea that a team is within 90 minutes of the final – can sometimes undermine the daring and risky outbursts of the teams. But fatigue too. Croatia emerged from two consecutive penalty-winning overtime games and finished Saturday's quarter-final by caring for several players through what looked like overwork injuries.
How will Croatia do it? but the fact that many experts still choose them to advance shows the depth of their talent. And England also played an extended game against Colombia last week, and while its quarterfinals against Sweden ended up being a little further, games and miles added up [19659107] Interactive Feature
Spot the Ball: The Knockout Round
Messi is gone. Ronaldo is gone. Germany has been gone for a long time. But Spot the Ball survived the knockout round of the World Cup! To celebrate, we shot some photos of the round of 16 and made a very important change – we pulled the ball. See if you can guess where it was.
OPEN Interactive Feature
• The only previous team to have won two consecutive penalty kicks in the Round of 16 World Cup was Argentina in 1990. She lost her next game against the # 39, West Germany in the final. read the main story
• The former Argentine player Jorge Valdano wrote an ode to Croatia midfielder Luka Modric for The Guardian today. Valdano wrote: "We are not talking about a gift like that of Diego Maradona, but rather of a game that involves completing the game of common sense. He does not do impossible things; When he plays a pbad, you see it and you think, "That's what I would have done." There's a beauty in Modric's game – an effortless shine combined with tireless effort – that any fan can respect
Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) and Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan) behind striker Mario Mandzukic (Juventus) probably give Croatia its best shooting a World Cup title for a generation, and this since a generation
Some Readings of Pregame
• France beat Belgium to win first place in the final, but you still have the feeling, according to Rory Smith in The Times, that they are set back from the best they can be.
• Have you noticed that many players do not seem to drink their energy drinks? That they just seem to move a little and spit out the liquid? Jeré Longman noticed, and he went about what was happening.
• England is struggling to come to terms with the race of its team in Russia, amid a continuing political crisis at home that has forced many to re-evaluate what it means to be English. "Nobody expected that," said a fan. "We are not used to this kind of success."
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