Outright Odds: sixty six/1
Group F Winners: 6/1
Croatia enter their third successive finals and will look for a repeat on the heroics of 1998 in lieu of the humiliation of 2002. They topped a challenging qualifying group which included Bulgaria and Hungary and remained unbeaten about 10 matches which included house and absent victories about fellow qualifiers 카지노게임사이트 Sweden.
Less than manager Zlatko Kranjcar Croatia are a distinct staff to how neutrals will try to remember them from their 1998 exploits which noticed them reach the semi-final. Long gone are flair players including Zvonimir Boban, Robert Prosinecki and previous Golden Boot Davor Suker. They are already replaced by much more practical players such as the Kovac brothers, Marko Babic and Dado Prso.
Like fellow qualifiers Serbia & Montenegro, Croatias good results stemmed from a robust defence wherever they held 6 clean up sheets in 10 games and conceded just five plans in the process.
Yet another power is really a variety of the present Croatia squad are situated in the Bundesliga, with Josip Simunic and Niko Kovac at Hertha Berlin, Babic centered at Bayer Leverkusen and Ivan Klasnic contracted to Werder Bremen.
Croatia have unearthed a expertise in midfielder Dario Srna that has made a knack for scoring critical objectives. The Shakhtar Donetsk player scored equally aims in the two one-0 wins in excess of Sweden while in the defining matches on the team.
Critical striker Dado Prso scored five targets in qualifying, his countrys joint top scorer with Srna. He burst into prominence when he netted four plans for Monaco during the eight-three Champions League thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna. He produced his international debut eight months previous to the match but has considering that turn into an automatic choice in assault.
Croatia have absent regarding their small business quietly and confidently and Inspite of their unbeaten qualification attempts, will continue being unfancied by several to generate any impact during the finals. That can match them wonderful as previous coach Mirko Jozic blamed the stress on The category of 1998 to the dismal failure of your 2002 squad which noticed them reduce 1-0 to Ecuador of their closing match.
Eventually, they deal with favourites Brazil within their opening match so will not have to worry about struggling with the reigning champions inside a crunch group decider. If they could choose anything from that game they will be in pole situation to achieving the next spherical.
Advisable Guess
Despite the obvious toughness of the team, Croatia are a lot more than effective at qualifying from it provided their new showings in qualifying for the finals. With among the meanest defences in Europe and a number of gamers plying their trade in Germany They may be a audio bet to adhere to Brazil into the final 16.
Croatia to qualify from Group F @ 5/six