Croatia Vs England News

Mario Mandzukic scored in the 109th minute as Croatia came from behind to beat England 2-1 after extra time on Wednesday and reach their first World Cup final, where they will face France on Sunday, and send the Balkan nation into raptures.

The 2-1 extra-time defeat to Croatia on Wednesday exposed the limitations of Southgate’s inexperienced side, weaknesses that were evident at other times in the tournament, but were often masked by the euphoria of unexpected success.

Croatia’s strength of character will serve them well in the World Cup final against France, their coach and players said after they came from behind for the third straight knockout match to beat England on Wednesday.

Croatia ruthlessly exposed England’s limitations in the second half of the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday as Zlatko Dalic’s side fought back to secure a famous 2-1 extra-time victory.

Southgate’s team made a fine start to their quest to become the first England side to reach the final in 52 years but faded in the second half before going down 2-1 to the Croatians after extra time at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Despite taking the lead early in the first half on Wednesday, England suffered the familiar story of World Cup heartbreak as Croatia equalised in the second half and then claimed the winner in the second period of extra time.

Croatia played like lions to beat England and reach the World Cup final on Wednesday, striker Mario Mandzukic said after scoring the winning goal, while coach Zlatko Dalic described the performance as fantasy.

Mario Mandzukic put Croatia ahead after scoring in Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium, giving the Balkan nation its first ever place in the finals in history, a result that surprised even some fans.

Croatia yet again showed their magnificent resilience to come from behind and beat England 2-1 on Wednesday as Mario Mandzukic’s extra-time goal sent them into their first World Cup final and a possible revenge mission against France.

Croatia reached the World Cup final for the first time after an extra-time goal from Mario Mandzukic gave them a 2-1 win over England in their semi-final.

England looked on course to book a spot in the title clash but Croatia equalised in the 68th minute to send the match into extra time. In the end, Mario Mandzukic's netted one at extra time to seal the match for Croatia. 

Croatia and England will face each other at Luzhniki Stadium on Wednesday.

Around a dozen England fans travelling to Moscow on Tuesday for the match wore dark blue waistcoats over their T-shirts as they passed through Heathrow airport, witnesses said.

England, eyeing a place in the FIFA World Cup final for the first time since the 1966 triumph at home, take on the dangerous Croatia in the second semifinal of the championship on Wednesday night. The winner of semifinal will face 1998 winner France in the final while the losing team will play against Belgium to decide the third and fourth places.

England, the 1966 World Cup champion, face Croatia on Wednesday after reaching the semifinals for the first time since the 1990 World Cup.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said on the eve of the game that Croatia has no reason to feel nervous as they contemplate only the second World Cup semifinal in their comparatively short history.

“I don’t know what to say. It’s completely irrelevant to talk about one or other defeat against Tottenham,” said Lovren when he was asked about the game.

While Croats are in the semifinals on the back of two knockout victories over Denmark and Russia via penalty shootouts, England got past Colombia and Sweden in the last two elimination matches.

England manager Gareth Southgate says he is not about to change his team’s approach for Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final against Croatia, saying he wants the “same again” from his young side.

“Soccer is separate from politics because people who work in politics should concentrate on politics, and people who work in soccer should concentrate on soccer,” Lopyreva, briefly married to Russia striker Fyodor Smolov, said in an interview.