Jonathan Wilson’s report is in so I’ll call it quits. That was a bit too much fun for me. Time for a nap … or Germany v Hungary. On we go.
Here’s how we’re looking ahead of Spain v Italy (doesn’t that sound exciting?) tomorrow night. Basically … not pretty for Croatia.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Albania | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 4 | Croatia | 2 | -3 | 1 |
Earlier in the inbox from Charles Antaki. It was meant to be.
“Kári Tulinius is right - in some moral universe, Albania certainly deserve better than this. We know of course that this isn’t a moral universe, certainly not in commercial football, but the international game does seem to be somehow less corrupt and less weighted down by what money can buy. So bravo Albania. Oh they’ve scored!”
FULL-TIME: Croatia 2-2 Albania
Terrific. Croatia found their way again in the second half, scoring a couple in the space of a few minutes, but Albania just refused to give in, and Gjasula showed his character to score the equaliser after accidentally granting Croatia a goal. This tournament is delivering.
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90+8 min: And it’s break to break, end to end, who wants it? Kovacic has a shot unconvincingly saved and then the final whistle finally goes. LET THEM KEEP PLAYING!
90+7 min: Gjasula cynically fouls Modric to stop a Croatia break. I cannot keep up with this.
GOAL! Croatia 2-2 Albania (Gjasula 90+5)
Amazing. They work it brilliantly down the left, Hoxha holding it up to play in Mitaj, who cuts it back into the box and Gjasula, the man who scored the own goal, sweeps in this time for his side. What a game.
Updated
90+3 min: Chaos in the Croatia box as Daku has two goes inside the box, his final effort blasted over the bar. It’s pinball in there but Croatia get enough bodies back to resist.
90+2 min: Livakovic has a bit of treatment after his follow-up save. Six minutes have been added on by the way.
90 min: What an effort from Hoxha, drifting in from the left to leave behind a trail of Croatia shirts before Livakovic gets down to his right to save the shot from outside the box, and a follow-up from close range is blasted over … but the flag went up anyway.
Updated
88 min: Modric suddenly presses the accelerator, shifting the ball for a shot that goes wide of the left post from 20-25 yards.
87 min: The offside flag goes up to stop Albania’s attack – suddenly everything is beginning to go Croatia’s way.
86 min: “A week ago I’d barely heard of any of the players on the Albanian team, and now I’m absolutely distraught that they’re losing,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Football is stupid and cruel.”
85 min: Kramaric, the birthday boy and goalscorer, is off. He’s done his job today.
82 min: Croatia aren’t willing to stop their waves of attacks as Perisic deals with a cross from the Albanian left with incredible calm, chesting it back to his keeper.
GOAL! Croatia 2-1 Albania (OG Gjasula 76)
What a turnaround! It’s the substitutes who make it happen, with Budimir’s pull-back finding Sucic, whose shot from close range is blocked in front of an empty net by Djimsiti … but it unfortunately rebounds off the onrushing Gjasula and into the net.
Updated
GOAL! Croatia 1-1 Albania (Kramaric 74)
It was on its way. A nice flick from Budimir on the edge of the box finds Kramaric on the left and he sends the ball through the legs of the defender and low into the net for the equaliser.
Updated
73 min: Seferi holds the ball up well for Albania and gets a shot away, but it lacks any real venom.
72 min: Kramaric pulls off a nice dummy to try and play a one-two but the return ball doesn’t find him inside the box. Albania’s goalscorer Laci is off for Gjasula.
71 min: It’s a good ball in from Modric but another Albanian defensive header gets it clear.
70 min: Petkovic has gone off for Budimir, who wins a corner after trying to cross from the left.
69 min: This time the cross is from the left, brilliantly put in by Perisic, but the header at the far post goes over the bar. Croatia are getting closer.
68 min: Juranvoic crosses from the right, but the big man, Petkovic, can’t get to it.
66 min: Bajrami has space on the right and decides to go at it alone, getting into the box but blasting the ball wide of the right post.
65 min: The ref stops play as Sutalo goes down. There’s a yellow shown by the ref to someone in the Croatian backroom staff, Vedran Corluka apparently, for doing something naughty.
63 min: Better from Albania, working it around the edge of the box before Asllani has a punt, but he can’t find the corners, with Livakovic cleaning up.
Morgan Watkins writes: “I’m reading your report in my biology class with my mates, we’re English but rooting for Albania in hopes of an Italy exit, also Albania are playing exciting football, especially Jasir Asani.”
60 min: Ramadani goes down in pain after blocking a stinging Modric shot.
59 min: Albania seem to have lost their attacking vigour and are just about holding the fort now in a game of attack versus defence.
58 min: Another strong chance for Croatia, with Petkovic’s header deflected out for a corner … Modric swings it in at the front post and Sutalo, a yard or two away from goal, somehow heads wide.
Updated
56 min: Ramadani launches an Albania attack knocking the ball nicely out to the left.
54 min: There’s a lot of space out on the left for Perisic, with Kramaric operating in the middle for Croatia.
Updated
53 min: Kovacic’s shot from outside the box is deflected … but it isn’t enough to completely wrongfoot Strakosha who keeps his balance and saves.
52 min: Pasalic gets on the end of a cross from the right but heads it across rather than at the goal.
50 min: Tidy build-up from Croatia sees the ball break nicely on the right side of the box for Sucic to shoot with his left … but Strakosha gets low to his right to push it away. Croatia are ramping up the pressure with the two fresh faces.
49 min: Perisic sends in a dangerous long throw … that Petkovic gets something on. The ball’s out for a goal kick, though.
48 min: Croatia look more lively in the opening exchanges of the second half as they venture into the opposition half, working it from right to left before winning a throw.
Peeep again!
Croatia make two changes, with Pasalic and Sucic on for Brozovic and Majer.
Richard Hirst writes: “Chapeau to Steven Grundy for introducing an exciting new saying into the MBM: ‘fighting like beavers’ is a good one, though I feel I need to know a bit more about how beavers fight.”
Not the first time I’ve heard it.
“It hurts to see so many good players play one tournament too many,” writes Fredrik Lorentzson. “Please hang up your spurs, Luka. I do not want to remember you this way.” Still time for a Croatian comeback, Fredrik …
“I’ve got no connection to either country but last night I got an e-mail from Austrian Railways saying that the Croatian Railway has informed them they need to do urgent maintenance work on some sleeper carriages and as a result I’ll be doing an overnight trip in a regular seat carriage instead,” writes Kieran Taylor. “I hope Albania thrash them.”
“When did Albania turn into 1980’s Brazil?” asks Steven Grundy. “They have been outstanding. They are fighting like beavers for every ball and are playing some quality stuff. Very impressive. Seems Max Rushden was proven right about seven years too late – the Croatians look tired.”
HALF-TIME: Croatia 0-1 Albania
We’re on for an upset. Albania’s simple gameplan of sitting deep and launching counters is working a treat and Croatia just aren’t getting enough bodies into the box when swinging in corners from the left and right.
Updated
45+2 min: Croatia finally get serious numbers in the box and the ref’s whistle goes for a Croatian offence but a header is still saved terrifically by Strakosha, diving low to his left.
Updated
45+1 min: Manaj has a free header in the middle … but can’t get strong enough contact and Livakovic collects.
42 min: Perisic sends a cross deep from the left before Majer tries to get a head on a cross from the right … the ref says it’s a goalkick.
41 min: Kramaric twists and turns on the left but his cross is headed away before Manaj is brought down for a free-kick.
40 min: A strange sight to see Modric’s struggles in this half. Kovacic is dispossessed as Albania race forward before Croatia regain their shape. The underdogs settle into possession, though, as Asllani is brought down in his own half by Kramaric.
37 min: Ramadani drives through midfield and is brought down in the centre circle. A punt into the Croatia box nearly finds Manaj, who can’t get it under control. But Albania continue to look threatening.
36 min: Croatia have a free-kick out on the left, with Majer and Modric over it. Modric’s ball in is pushed out by Strakosha.
35 min: Majer is surrounded when with the ball at the edge of the box before Modric gives possession away with a cross as Albania try and counter again.
Updated
33 min: Albania just aren’t letting anything go through their narrow and compact shape, with Modric unable to unlock it.
31 min: What a save from Livakovic! Modric gives it away, Albania counter and Asani’s low ball is deflected into the path of Asllani, whose powerful strike inside the box is kept out by the keeper, diving low to his right. Croatia survive … for now.
29 min: Asani is causing issues on the right, cutting in again to deliver the same ball he did for the goal … the ball then drops at the edge of the box for Hysaj to hop on to … he shoots over and wide.
26 min: A free-kick for Croatia in the centre-circle as the action calms down a touch … until Majer delivers a gorgeous cross from the right with his left foot … Petkovic rises but can’t guide his header low, the ball going out for a goal kick.
24 min: Majer drives forward and plays a one-two with Petkovic on the edge of the box but has no space to have a shot. Croatia have played some neat, tidy short passes but can’t find a killer ball that splits Albania open.
22 min: Bajrami is working hard at the back too, cutting out a Modric pass.
20 min: It’s end-to-end all of a sudden, Bajrami denied from getting in one-on-one with the keeper by an excellent sliding challenge before Croatia counter and Brozovic’s shot travels wide.
19 min: Perisic sends in a long throw, Petkovic gets a nod on it but there’s no one else able to follow it up. Persisic then delivers a fine cross, outlining the danger he still carries.
18 min: Perisic does well on the left to keep a wayward Majer ball in before Gvardiol wins a free-kick on the wing.
16 min: … Croatia get away with it. A high foot then goes up in Croatia’s box after a series of headers … but the ref isn’t having any of it.
15 min: Albania have the noise from the crowd, and the momentum. Bajrami cuts in from the right and has his low shot go out for a corner …
GOAL! Croatia 0-1 Albania (Laci 11)
Against the run of play! It’s another early Albanian goal in this tournament. They work it nicely out to the right, where the cross from Asani, cutting in, is delicious. Laci, running in to the box, gets the glancing header right and Livakovic can’t get enough of himself behind it.
Updated
9 min: Modric’s free-kick is headed away; Bajrami speeds down the left for Albania but is brushed away from causing any danger.
Updated
8 min: Petkovic goes down and Croatia have a free-kick out at centre-left, with Modric looking to find a head inside the box.
7 min: Croatia continue to knock it about from left to right before Juranovic crosses from the right wing, the ball cleared high and away for a throw.
6 min: … In it comes from Majer, who takes it short before a low drilled ball into the box is cleared away.
5 min: Juranovic chases a ball down the right wing and ends up winning a corner …
4 min: Modric’s chipped ball is cut out by Albania’s organised defensive block.
2 min: Croatia get a hold of it and pass around the back before Kovacic’s ambitious ball forward is a little too ambitious.
1 min: Albania have not scored yet.
Updated
Peeeep!
Croatia have got their usual red-and-white chequered number on. Albania are in all-black and they kick off. Let’s go!
The anthems are being sung … so we’ll be on shortly.
“Even though it is a team game, you inevitably associate countries/teams with individuals,” writes krishnamoorthy v. “Pele to Brazil, Maradona to Argentina, Milla to Cameroon, Cruyff to Holland, and Modric it is to Croatia. He has outshone even Suker from their debut 1998 dream team.”
Still blows my mind that he played in this game:
Excuse the self-promotion.
“Why would you call this group a group of Death?” asks Deborah Smee. “I care very much for the Croatian team, which all in all over the last few years have well outperformed the British team (remember Russia?). A tiny country of 3,8 million people that has far above average number of world players.”
Group of Death – not my invention, I should add – serves to highlight how good Croatia have been in recent years, implying that a major footballing nation is at risk of elimination in Group B.
Updated
So Ivan Perisic is in for Croatia, as are Josip Juranovic and Bruno Petkovic. Looks like Gvardiol moves over to centre-half. Albania have two changes, switching it up going forward, with Armando Broja and Taulant Seferi out, Rey Manaj and Qazim Laci in.
The teams
So here’s how they line up …
Croatia: Livakovic, Juranovic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Perisic, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Majer, Petkovic, Kramaric
Subs: Stanisic, Pongracic, Erlic, Labrovic, Mario Pasalic, Budimir, Ivanusec, Sosa, Pjaca, Vida, Ivusic, Marco Pasalic, Sucic, Baturina
Albania: Strakosha, Hysaj, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj, Ramadani, Asllani, Asani, Bajrami, Laci, Manaj
Subs: Etrit Berisha, Balliu, Gjasula, Broja, Kastrati, Mihaj, Seferi, Medon Berisha, Muci, Ismajli, Daku, Abrashi, Kumbulla, Aliji, Hoxha
Updated
Preamble
Hello, hello, hello and welcome back to the Group of Death. Croatia had an unhappy start to the tournament, conceding three against Spain and failing to take advantage of a consolation penalty. Albania, on the other hand, had the happiest of beginnings, shocking Italy with the fastest goal in Euros history … but the defending champions hit back with two and took the three points. So who gets their campaign properly underway here? Luka Modric and his mates are the obvious favourites, but – as entertaining as this whole thing has been so far – we’re due a couple more upsets. Kick-off at Hamburg is at 2pm BST.
