1 Croatia vs 1 Czech Republic
Preview: Croatia vs Czech Republic
In a crucial Euro 2020 Group D clash, Croatia seeks redemption at Hampden Park against a confident Czech Republic side buoyed by Patrik Schick’s stunning opener performance.
Croatia
The Blazers failed to pick up any points in their opening game of the tournament on Match Day 1 after the defeat to England at Wembley. Luka Modric faced England for the seventh time in the famous checkered shirt for Croatia, but he was unable to replicate the spark that led his side to victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup semi-finals against the Three Lions.
It was all England from the start, with Premier League title winner Manchester City's Phil Foden cutting onto his left for a strike that hit the woodwork. England came close on two more occasions before Perisic fired the ball into the crowd. Minutes after the break, Raheem Sterling put England ahead in the 56th minute after receiving a through pass from Kalvin Phillips, sealing a 1-0 victory for England.
As a result, Croatia fell to back-to-back defeats, with a recent form of LWWDLL, and this marked their third loss in the last six games across all competitions. Coach Zlatko Dalić, however, remains optimistic about his side's chances of advancing to the knockout stages despite the loss. "We ran well but didn’t show enough in attack," he noted, adding "We need to fix things, but I am encouraged and optimistic."
Croatia seems to lack the competitive edge to spring surprises in this tournament, having fallen to technically sound teams such as Belgium (1-0), Portugal (3-2), and Sweden (2-1) in recent outings. Dalić has experimented with different formations, including an attacking 4-3-3, a 4-2-3-1, and more recently, a 4-1-4-1, any of which could be used for their next Euro 2020 appearance on Friday.
The Blazers currently have no points and a goal difference of -1 after 0 wins, 0 draws, and 1 loss.
Czech Republic
Unlike Croatia, the Czech Republic got off to a flying start with a comfortable 2-0 win over Scotland. Man-of-the-match Patrik Schick single-handedly won the fixture, scoring in both halves of the game.
His first goal at 42 minutes was a fine header after Vladimir Coufal picked him out inside the box. For his second at 52 minutes, Schick delivered a thrilling long-range effort from the halfway line, sending Scottish goalkeeper David Marshall into a panicked retreat. The ball flew over Marshall and into the goal, a strike that will likely remain a contender for goal of the tournament.
Pleased with the win, coach Jaroslav Šilhavý will be looking to seal another victory on Match Day 2. All eyes will be on Czech's No. 10, Patrik Schick of Bayer Leverkusen, after his stellar performance against Scotland. We could see a similar 4-2-3-1 formation, with the 25-year-old leading the attack once again.
The Czech Republic currently has 3 points and a goal difference of +2, after 1 win, 0 draws, and 0 losses, as they sit at the top of Group D.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.