Ireland 1-3 Croatia: Until the older children tired of play as

Croatia has taken advantage of the tie between Spain and Italy to climb to the top spot in Group C after beating with crystal clarity to the Irish selection. Any uncertainty about the final result is dissipated when the Croats decided to start behaving like mature team that is left to practice and children's play, in which she anchored the Eire of Trapattoni.

The game started with a goal of most tempranero, when barely had played a couple of minutes. A center that bounced Srna caught far away Mandžukić to mark header. Ahead as soon not served for the Vatreni take control of the party. Quite the contrary: the game entered a give and take between the two contenders, with both teams looking for direct attacks, vertical, combination and too little nerve. A much more conducive to the old Irish football for the Croats.

In these circumstances the Irish goal came at 18 minutes when Dunne took her back to Strinic in a diagonal free-kick and finished in the network header. Eire found the equalizer in the only way you can play Croatia and he still took a while to lick the wound. Half an hour later the Croatian midfield took control of the ball and imposed a pace that suited him: long slow transitions and possessions to slowly invade the opponent. The Trapattoni, unable to argue the ball to the Balkans, gave field.

Just when it expired the first time, Jelavic found a dead ball and did not miss the chance to advance to Croatia on the scoreboard. All Irish called offside, but Ward, who was wrongly that cleared into his own net. However, it is assumed that the current standard dictates that if a striker offside takes advantage of a botched punt, he should be considered offside. I think a stupid rule and I am inclined to believe that the goal was legal. The Irish will disagree, of course.

The Vatreni was beaten again just back from break. Again with the head of Mandžukić involved, who nailed a spectacular shot that bounced off the bottom at the nape of Given, sneaking the ball into his own net. The 1-3 and, especially, the Croatian conviction that relied on themselves to maintain control of the match, ended any chance of Eire will turn around.

The Trapattoni, clinging to a style of noble ancestry but virtually obsolete, could do nothing before the maturity of a team like Croatia, with a great midfield led by Modric (who is missing is given more joy in attack ), well supported by Vukojevic, Perisic and Rakitic. The defense, its weakest line, endured the drive perfectly Irish way.

Trapattoni changes but failed to give a point of freshness to the raffle that is to put the ball high up to see if a rebound is born a second play. The Croats were devoted to control the ball and minimize risk, thus the timer avanzase no great things it might occur in any of the two goals. The end 3-1 did justice with that seen in the field and running for selection as a candidate for Croatian sneak into rooms: with a win over either of the group would cocks made.