How far can Croatia go?
June 13, 2008 at 11:34 pm | In Croatia | Leave a CommentTags: Croatia, Ivan Rakitic, Ivica Vastic, Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcar, Slaven Bilic
Just 383 days. That is the age gap between Slaven Bilić and Ivica Vastic, two of Thursday’s prime movers but men pushing at totally opposite extremes in their respective trades. While one is the youngest coach in the competition and potentially the youngest ever to lift the trophy, the other is the tournament’s oldest player – and the man whose last-minute equaliser for Austria cemented top spot in Group B for Bilić and his charges.
Tournament contenders
Thanks to Vastic’s strident spot-kick, Croatia will avoid Portugal in the quarter-finals, a meeting many thought they were not only destined for but destined to lose. No-one will be quite so quick to write them off now, and Bilić’s pre-match comments that “any team that beats Germany can hope to beat anybody” will find real resonance when the tournament contenders are next tallied up. But what do you think? Can the mobility and technique of Luka Modrić, Niko Kranjčar and Ivan Rakitić see them through to the end or will more dynamic teams than Germany expose Robert Kovač and Josip Šimunić’s lack of pace at the back?
Vastic rides to Austria’s rescue
June 13, 2008 at 8:28 pm | In Austria | Leave a CommentTags: Austria, Ivica Vastic
Ivica Vastic’s last-gasp penalty kept Austria in contention to reach the UEFA EURO 2008™ quarter-finals, salvaging a draw against a Poland side who had looked set to take three points thanks to Roger Guerreiro’s first-half goal and some inspired goalkeeping from Artur Boruc.
Late drama
Boruc made four crucial interventions to frustrate a vibrant Austria before Roger was in the right place to tap in on the half-hour and give Poland the lead. Austria were staring a second successive 1-0 defeat in the face but, three minutes into added time, Marcin Wasilewski pulled Sebastian Prödl’s shirt and substitute Vastic became the oldest player to score in a UEFA European Championship, finally beating Boruc from the spot. These teams now have one point apiece, two fewer than Germany who are Austria’s final opponents on Monday, when Group B winners Croatia are the opposition for Poland.
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