Tottenham Hotspur’s new signing Luka Modric scored from a penalty kick to give Croatia 1-0 victory against co-hosts Austria in the Euro 2008 Group B opener in Vienna on Sunday.
It was a perfect start for Slaven Bilic’s side as they dealt an early blow to the hosts by taking the lead in the 4th minute.
Pieter Vink awarded Croatia the spot kick when Ivica Olic went down under an awkward challenge by Aufhauser. Middlesbrough defender Emmanuel Pogatetz was booked for voicing his protests against the decision.
Young midfielder Modric stepped forward to take the penalty, and hammered it straight into the back of the net as Macho dived to the left.
Austria ended the first half on a stronger note, and were in the ascendancy right from the start of the second period, but failed to get anything from the game.
The Croats dominated most of the first half, but they failed to convert the chances. Dario Srna’s free-kick from the right, went begging as none of the players got any touch onto the ball going across the face of the goal.
Mladen Petric blazed his volley over the bar when he had ample time to put a composed finish as he was unmarked into the Austria area, on a cross from right.
For Josef Hickersberger’s men, defender Sebastian Prodl tried a long range shot but was off target. He was soon after, in the thick of the action again but failed to direct his glancing header on to Pletikosa’s goal off a free-kick taken by captain Andreas Ivanschitz.
However, Austria came up with a concerted effort to get back on even terms as the first half headed to an end, but Josip Simunic came up with a fine clearance to cut Harnik’s cross with Roland Linz waiting. Standfest then saw his header sail over the cross bar.
The second half began at a high tempo, particularly the Austrians giving it everything. A nice bit of work on the right flank by Harnik, was undone as his cutback failed to find a red shirt in the Croat penalty area. He was frustrated as there was no support inside the six yard box, when another of his cross went begging, this time across the face of the goal.
At the hour mark, Modric sprung a moment of brilliance as he got past a host of rival players from the right, and entered into the Austria box, but his final ball was cleared by a defender. Four minutes later, Nico Kovac skied his header off a free-kick from right.
With home crowd cheering on their team, Austria made all efforts to claw their way back with Hickersberger ringing in the changes. Croatia boss Bilic also changed personnel as the second half ticked by.
Substitute Kienast could have been involved straightaway in setting up the goal as Pletikosa’s citadel came under pressure. But composed defending by Robert Kovac and Manchester City’s Corluka averted the danger.
A curling free-kick from the left by substitute Vastic, was punched out by Pletikosa, whose goal was bombarded by flurry of efforts by Austrians. Harnik orchestrated a couple of quick moves, first seeing his shot sail over, but then feeding Vastic for an header that was stopped by the rival custodian.
Despite tremendous pressure on Croatian goal in the closing stages as the Red shirts crowded the box and Kienast’s header went agonisingly close to the goal in the final few seconds, Hickersberger’s men were disappointed at the final whistle, but their performance must have warmed the hearts of their fans.
Teams:
Austria: Macho, Standfest, Stranzl, Pogatetz, Aufhauser, Linz (Kienast 74), Ivanschitz, Gercaliu (Korkmaz 69), Prodl, Saumel (Vastic 60), Harnik.
Substitutes not used: Manninger, Ozcan, Fuchs, Leitgeb, Katzer, Garics, Patocka, Hiden, Hoffer.
Coach: Josef Hickersberger
Croatia: Pletikosa, Sumunic, Kovac, Corluka, Kovac, Srna, Modric, Olic (Vukojevic 83), Kranjcar (Knezevic 61), Petric (Budan 72), Pranjic.
Substitutes not used: Galinovic, Runje, Simic, Vejic, Rakitic, Kalinic, Pokrivac, Leko, Klasnic.
Coach: Slaven Bilic.
It was a perfect start for Slaven Bilic’s side as they dealt an early blow to the hosts by taking the lead in the 4th minute.
Pieter Vink awarded Croatia the spot kick when Ivica Olic went down under an awkward challenge by Aufhauser. Middlesbrough defender Emmanuel Pogatetz was booked for voicing his protests against the decision.
Young midfielder Modric stepped forward to take the penalty, and hammered it straight into the back of the net as Macho dived to the left.
Austria ended the first half on a stronger note, and were in the ascendancy right from the start of the second period, but failed to get anything from the game.
The Croats dominated most of the first half, but they failed to convert the chances. Dario Srna’s free-kick from the right, went begging as none of the players got any touch onto the ball going across the face of the goal.
Mladen Petric blazed his volley over the bar when he had ample time to put a composed finish as he was unmarked into the Austria area, on a cross from right.
For Josef Hickersberger’s men, defender Sebastian Prodl tried a long range shot but was off target. He was soon after, in the thick of the action again but failed to direct his glancing header on to Pletikosa’s goal off a free-kick taken by captain Andreas Ivanschitz.
However, Austria came up with a concerted effort to get back on even terms as the first half headed to an end, but Josip Simunic came up with a fine clearance to cut Harnik’s cross with Roland Linz waiting. Standfest then saw his header sail over the cross bar.
The second half began at a high tempo, particularly the Austrians giving it everything. A nice bit of work on the right flank by Harnik, was undone as his cutback failed to find a red shirt in the Croat penalty area. He was frustrated as there was no support inside the six yard box, when another of his cross went begging, this time across the face of the goal.
At the hour mark, Modric sprung a moment of brilliance as he got past a host of rival players from the right, and entered into the Austria box, but his final ball was cleared by a defender. Four minutes later, Nico Kovac skied his header off a free-kick from right.
With home crowd cheering on their team, Austria made all efforts to claw their way back with Hickersberger ringing in the changes. Croatia boss Bilic also changed personnel as the second half ticked by.
Substitute Kienast could have been involved straightaway in setting up the goal as Pletikosa’s citadel came under pressure. But composed defending by Robert Kovac and Manchester City’s Corluka averted the danger.
A curling free-kick from the left by substitute Vastic, was punched out by Pletikosa, whose goal was bombarded by flurry of efforts by Austrians. Harnik orchestrated a couple of quick moves, first seeing his shot sail over, but then feeding Vastic for an header that was stopped by the rival custodian.
Despite tremendous pressure on Croatian goal in the closing stages as the Red shirts crowded the box and Kienast’s header went agonisingly close to the goal in the final few seconds, Hickersberger’s men were disappointed at the final whistle, but their performance must have warmed the hearts of their fans.
Teams:
Austria: Macho, Standfest, Stranzl, Pogatetz, Aufhauser, Linz (Kienast 74), Ivanschitz, Gercaliu (Korkmaz 69), Prodl, Saumel (Vastic 60), Harnik.
Substitutes not used: Manninger, Ozcan, Fuchs, Leitgeb, Katzer, Garics, Patocka, Hiden, Hoffer.
Coach: Josef Hickersberger
Croatia: Pletikosa, Sumunic, Kovac, Corluka, Kovac, Srna, Modric, Olic (Vukojevic 83), Kranjcar (Knezevic 61), Petric (Budan 72), Pranjic.
Substitutes not used: Galinovic, Runje, Simic, Vejic, Rakitic, Kalinic, Pokrivac, Leko, Klasnic.
Coach: Slaven Bilic.
