Belgium qualified for the semi-finals after penalties were required to separate two well-matched teams after they’d played out a 1-1 draw.
Following their 0-0 draw against Spain, the Croatians reverted to their first choice lineup, while the Belgium made three changes which included the box-to-box midfielder Dante Rigo in midfield, replacing the injured Mangala.
As many of the heavyweight contests at these Championships have begun so far, the game set out as a tactical puzzle with the Croats pushing six men deep into the Belgian half to stop the Belgian defenders playing into midfield, with a clear focus on nullifying Ademoglu’s influence. For 20 minutes, the ball was predominantly in the Belgian half as they unsuccessfully looked to try to go around the pressing then began targeting the wide men with long balls, all of which yielded little of note. When either side did get the ball in the other’s half – the Belgian’s from playing over the pressing, the Croats from winning the ball high – there was a lack of quality from both sides and attacks soon fizzled out.
With the Croatian tactics prevailing, their control in the game grew and they began to put some neat moves together, with the left-side pairing of Sosa and Brekalo once more impressive in their understanding of the other’s game. Yet as Croatia attacked they left space for the Belgians and it was as a result of one of these forays that the first clear chance of the game arrived.
Having won a corner the Belgians would have hoped for better quality from Daneels with his scuffed attempt bouncing five yards before the defender who was unable to judge the flight and the ball ricocheted into the six-yard box, falling kindly at the feet of Janssens four yards from goal. His reflex stab at the ball went straight into the chest of Semper who was able to gather.
Belgium were missing the physique and skill of Mangala and his midfield partner Ademoglu struggled to get on the ball. When he did get it he was one of the few players for either side who was able to use it efficiently and Azzaoui’s best run came after some neat skill in the centre from Ademoglu who able to create space for his team-mate.
It was the Croatians who would take the lead though, and a deserved one considering their tactical, if not technical, dominance of the half. Brekalo delivered an excellent dipping corner from the left which was firmly headed away to the edge of the area. Advancing onto the ball, Lovren tried to skew a half volleyed strike off the outside of his left foot and across the keeper. Overcutting the attempt it screwed of his foot and would have gone well wide had Karlo Majic not improvised a clever flick to divert the ball past Teunckens.
The Croatian attacking trident behind Majic had flickered in and out of the game in the first half, alternating good touches with bad ones, but they began the second half in better form and Lovren’s trickery won another corner. Delivering it himself, he found Kalaica who, back-pedalling, did well to force his header on target and draw an excellent save from Teunckens. Lovren followed that up a moment later with a lovely piece of trickery to beat two defenders on the byline, both with nutmegs, before he was denied by Teunckens at the near post.
Croatia now appeared comfortable and it was a sign of how the game was progressing that the Belgians were forced into harmless long passes looking to play in their forwards. Dante Rigo gave an excellent example of such a pass when playing long in the general direction of Azzaoui, something Kalaica was well positioned to defend. Stepping in to control the ball on his thigh however, it rebounded up off his arm, behind him and into the path of Azzaoui who ran through to dink the ball over Semper and score the the first goal Croatia have conceded at the Championships.
From then on there was a subtle swing in momentum towards the Belgians, who were in better condition than the Croats who’d spent the first half pressing to gain an advantage they were sure they could hold, but had now lost to their own error. They still offered a threat going forward with man of the match Borna Sosa highly impressive in his attacking combination play, work rate and steady performance of his defensive tasks against Daneels.
Though they had the better of the second half possession, Belgium made little of it and their only real chance to score the winner came from a swerving 25-yard drive from Rigo – well saved by Semper.
For Croatia, their chance to win it and take it away from the penalties which both had appeared resigned to from the 65th minute or so, came four minutes from the end. Adrian Zenko played in fellow substitute Marko Babic with a clever clipped ball and Babic lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper with the outside of his foot, but his looping effort bounced a foot wide of the post.
Had it been a group game, a 1-1 draw would have been called a fair result but the knockout called for a winner and the shootout began badly for Croatia when their captain Moro had their first one saved. From then on, it was an exhibition of perfect penalties from both sides which was enough to see Belgium victor with Moro the Croatian fall guy. They still have a chance of qualifying for the Under-17 World Cup via the playoffs but it’s Belgium who will go through to the semis and face the winner of France v Italy.
This post was provided by the excellent Samuel King, who you can follow on Twitter @KingSRV.
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