Outright Odds: sixty six/1
Group File Winners: 6/one
Croatia enter their third successive finals and may try to find a repeat with the heroics of 1998 instead of the humiliation of 2002. They topped a tough qualifying group which involved Bulgaria and Hungary and remained unbeaten around 10 matches which involved home and absent victories about fellow qualifiers Sweden.
Below supervisor Zlatko Kranjcar Croatia are another staff to how neutrals will recall them from their 1998 exploits which noticed them get to the semi-remaining. Absent are aptitude gamers for example Zvonimir Boban, Robert Prosinecki and previous Golden Boot Davor Suker. They have already been replaced 모바일카지노 by much more practical gamers including the Kovac brothers, Marko Babic and Dado Prso.
Like fellow qualifiers Serbia & Montenegro, Croatias good results stemmed from a solid defence where by they kept 6 clear sheets in ten games and conceded just 5 targets in the method.
A different strength is usually a amount of the current Croatia squad are located in the Bundesliga, with Josip Simunic and Niko Kovac at Hertha Berlin, Babic primarily based at Bayer Leverkusen and Ivan Klasnic contracted to Werder Bremen.
Croatia have unearthed a talent in midfielder Dario Srna that has produced a knack for scoring vital plans. The Shakhtar Donetsk player scored both of those ambitions in the two one-0 wins about Sweden inside the defining matches with the group.
Key striker Dado Prso scored five objectives in qualifying, his countrys joint major scorer with Srna. He burst into prominence when he netted four targets for Monaco in the 8-3 Champions League thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna. He created his international debut eight months ahead of the match but has since turn into an automated option in assault.
Croatia have long gone with regards to their company quietly and confidently and Regardless of their unbeaten qualification attempts, will remain unfancied by lots of to help make any influence within the finals. Which will go well with them fantastic as former mentor Mirko Jozic blamed the stress on The category of 1998 for that dismal failure with the 2002 squad which noticed them lose 1-0 to Ecuador in their closing match.
Lastly, they facial area favourites Brazil in their opening match so is not going to have to worry about struggling with the reigning champions inside of a crunch team decider. If they're able to choose nearly anything from that video game They are going to be in pole situation to achieving the second spherical.
Advisable Bet
Regardless of the clear toughness in the group, Croatia are much more than effective at qualifying from it provided their current showings in qualifying with the finals. With among the list of meanest defences in Europe and a bunch of gamers plying their trade in Germany They can be a seem wager to follow Brazil into the last sixteen.
Croatia to qualify from Team File @ 5/6