CROATIA PLAYER RATINGS: Croatia beat England 2-1 after extra time this evening in the World Cup semi-finals at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, but which players stood out?
Zlatko Dalic’s side will play in their first ever World Cup final against France on Sunday.
Croatia got off to a terrible start when Luka Modric fouled Dele Alli on the edge of the penalty area, and Kieran Trippier stepped up to curl in a brilliant free kick after just five minutes.
Sime Vrsaljko and Dejan Lovren both looked vulnerable in defence at times in the first half, but England let their opponents off the hook with Harry Kane and Jesse Lingard guilty of wasting chances.
In the second half, Croatia grew into the game, and Ivan Perisic scored an equaliser when he got his foot above Kyle Walker to beat Jordan Pickford.
Perisic could have scored again soon afterwards but hit the post, as Dalic’s side finished stronger.
In extra time, England had their fair share of the ball, but Danijel Subasic stood firm and Mario Mandzukic popped up with the winner, when he latched onto a Perisic header and sent Pickford the wrong way.
The final on Sunday kicks off at 4pm on Sunday – and will also be in the Luzhniki Stadium.
France will be huge favourites though, especially given that Croatia have played extra time three times in the knockout stage, and Les Bleus have not been taken past 90 minutes once.
source: dailystar.co.uk