· 2 min readIn this Croatia vs England match, I analyse the key tactical moments, individual performances and turning points of the game.
Croatia and England came into their third Nations League game with one win and one defeat each, knowing that a win today could put them on a very interesting path towards a potential Final Four, especially with Spain already flying clear at the top. Croatia are never an easy opponent, but England clearly had the better team. And they ended up showing it in absolutely brutal fashion.
England came out on top from the start. By the 6th minute, they already dominated possession against a Croatia side defending with five at the back, with Ivanović dropping deeper. In the 8th minute, the first blow came: Gvardiol misplaced a pass in midfield, Bellingham received it near the box and played Kane in behind. The English striker finished brilliantly into the back of the net. 0-1 and Kane’s third goal in three Nations League games.
By the 11th minute, England already had 79% possession, and by the 19th, Croatia could barely get into the attacking half. The second came in the 21st minute. Saka received the ball on the right and put in a poor cross, but Gordon managed, with a difficult touch, to take the ball all the way to the byline. He put in a low cross and Bellingham arrived to tap it in. 0-2. From here, it was already starting to look like it could become a possible humiliation.
Croatia still couldn’t breathe. In the 25th minute, an excellent passing move left Bellingham free on the right, and he crossed for Gordon. The winger shot close to goal, but Livaković saved it. Then, in the 39th minute, the third came. Quansah crossed from the right towards the far post and Gordon got in front of the defenders to head it in. 0-3, with Gordon, just like Kane, scoring in all three Nations League games.
Croatia finally had a few minutes of possession, but when their best chance came, Kovacic somehow wasted it. Musa won the ball back after a mistake from Anderson, Kovacic was left with a practically open goal and, with the goalkeeper out of position, shot wide. Kovacic cannot miss that.
And right after that, England scored again. Counter-attack, combination between Gordon and Bellingham, who received the ball on the left, held it up, pulled out wide and put in a low cross. Saka appeared completely alone inside the six-yard box and only had to tap it in. 0-4. The Croatian defence just stood and watched the move, nobody covered Saka and the Arsenal man scored. At half-time, Bellingham had a goal and two assists, while Croatia were unrecognisable.
The second half was simply a continuation of the demolition. In the 53rd minute, Anderson combined with Saka, received the ball in behind and crossed for Kane to tap it in. 0-5. In the 58th minute, the Croatian defence was a disaster. Not one of them could be saved.
In the 68th minute, the sixth arrived. Stanišić played a horrible pass to Saka inside the box, Kane laid it back and the English winger fired into the back of the net. 0-6, in what was already a historic result. Saka somehow missed a ridiculous seventh in the 71st minute, but he still ended up with two important goals to rebuild his confidence and try to return to the good form he has been searching for for a long time.
Croatia finished without even putting a shot on target. And in the 87th minute, the seventh arrived: Bellingham once again found Morgan Rogers in behind, the striker pulled it wide of Livaković and finished into the net. 0-7. Bellingham’s third assist and simply a day to forget for Croatia.
Post-match
A nightmare for some, a dream for others. England humiliated the no-longer-feared Croatia.
