Croatia vs Ireland Euro 10.6.2012 SelMckenzie Selzer-McKenzie

Croatia vs Ireland Euro 10.6.2012 SelMckenzie Selzer-McKenzie

Video http://youtu.be/x1aUKcMia4A

Author D.Selzer-McKenzie

In the second meeting of the group of C two less attractive teams meet but this does not mean that the Croatians and the Irishmen are qualitatively worse than the Italians with whom they probably will fight for the second group place, since the Spaniards are the absolute favourites in this group of C. These two national teams have themselves into first the play offstage qualifies. In this introduction we still will add that Croatia and Ireland have met only two times this decade and to be more precise at the friendship duels. In 2004 Ireland in Dublin celebrated a 1:0 victory and last year the second friendly match ended undecidedly, played in Dublin also. The beginning: 10.06.2012 - 20:45

Therefore it does not get too easy to forecast the winner although Croatia is the light favourite. In any case the Croatians have a better player cadre than the Irishmen but they have very much just the same lost strength lately so that coach Bilic has got many problems at the EM qualification. The Croatians ended the qualification on the second group place and to be more precise behind Greece so that they have the play offstage met Turkey into. You handed in its perhaps most mature game in Istanbul within the last few years and have a 3:0 away win celebratedly, lasting the return match has been only pure matter of form in Zagreb (0:0). At the last three friendly matches they have shown very changeable game form again. They collected a 1:3 home defeat against Sweden first and after that they have conquered Estonia with the identical result while they have played only a 1:1 draw against Norway in Oslo eight days ago. These games have helped Bilic at the regulation of the definite list of the invited 23 players. Lovren lacked only the injured defending player on this list but, in the meantime, go-getters Olic and midfield players Ilicevic still have hurt themselves so that Kalinic and Vrsaljko were invited afterwards. The greatest problem of the Croatians at this EM becomes primarily a rather slow and unsafe defence row while the midfield at a distance is the best segment of the team if should be the captain Srna and artist with the ball Modric on the height of the event. We still should mention that Overton go-getter Jelavic is in a very good form. This player surely will represent the greatest danger for Ireland. It is still uncertain who will be its partner in the spearhead, Mandzukic or Eduardo.

Expected list Croatia: Pletikosa - Vida, Corluka, Schildenfeld, Strinic - Vukojevic - Srna, Modric, Rakitic - Mandzukic (Eduardo), Jelavic

This is the second participation of the Irishmen at a European championship so that they will enjoy the great support of their faithful fans quite certainly but they can hardly create getting further into the next round in such a strong group. The experienced coach Trapattoni has the great confidence in his boys primarily if they should play in the defence in a disciplined manner at most while in the attack very much will take off Keane anyway of the atmosphere of the best goal scorer nevertheless. Play offstage Estonia the Irishmen have reached the second place in their group and they then have into the eliminates. The Estonians have not proved re-rum to be particularly serious opponents since the Irishmen could celebrate a high 4:0 victory in the distance while they have at home played a 1:1 draw in a completely controlled game. In three friendly matches after that they have credited two draws (Czechia and Hungary) and a victory (Bosnia-Herzegovina). This national team extremely seldom loses but it has just the same many problems with the goal putting into action primarily against the stronger teams. We can just therefore expect a firm and responsible game and to be more precise both in the defence at the first meeting of the Irishmen and in the midfield. Therefore will a little more closely to Keane play at the midfield which is very logical while in such a situation Doyle as lonely top shall proceed. One still should mention that Foley and Fahey were stroked injury conditionally by the list while the goalkeeper Given and the defending player O'Shea have recovered again so that in any case they should be there in the Startelf on Sunday.

Expected list Ireland: Given - O'Shea, St. Ledger, Dunne, Ward - McGeady, Whelan, Andrews, Duff - Keane - Doyle

A defeat for the two teams we would mean, can expect hardly a particularly open game in this game since probably this EM. Is much more realistic to expect that both coaches decide in favour of extremely defensive game tactics and to be more precise with the aim of not collecting any goal against.