Outright Odds: 66/1
Group F Winners: six/one
Croatia enter their 3rd successive finals and may try to look for a repeat in the heroics of 1998 in lieu of the humiliation of 2002. They topped a challenging qualifying team which integrated Bulgaria and Hungary and remained unbeaten more than 10 matches which included house and absent victories about fellow qualifiers Sweden.
Less than manager Zlatko Kranjcar Croatia are a unique workforce to how neutrals will remember them from their 1998 exploits which saw them reach the semi-final. Gone are flair players for instance Zvonimir Boban, Robert Prosinecki and previous Golden Boot Davor Suker. They are already replaced by a lot more practical players like the Kovac brothers, Marko Babic and Dado Prso.
Like fellow qualifiers Serbia & Montenegro, Croatias achievements stemmed from a robust defence where by they saved six clear sheets in ten games and conceded just five targets in the procedure.
Yet another power is really a amount of the current Croatia squad are based in the Bundesliga, with Josip Simunic and Niko Kovac at Hertha Berlin, Babic based mostly at Bayer Leverkusen and Ivan Klasnic contracted to Werder Bremen.
Croatia have unearthed a talent in midfielder Dario Srna who may have produced a knack for scoring very important ambitions. The Shakhtar Donetsk participant scored each ambitions in the two one-0 wins over Sweden in the defining matches with the team.
Vital striker Dado Prso scored 5 goals in qualifying, his countrys joint top scorer with Srna. He burst into prominence when he netted 4 objectives for Monaco within the 8-3 Champions League thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna. He made his Intercontinental debut 8 months before the match but has due to the fact come to be an automated option in attack.
Croatia have long gone about their business quietly and confidently and Regardless of their unbeaten qualification endeavours, will remain unfancied by lots of to make any impression during the finals. That can suit them great as former mentor Mirko Jozic blamed the pressure on the class of 1998 for your dismal failure from the 2002 squad which noticed them get rid of 1-0 to Ecuador in their final match.
Eventually, they confront favourites Brazil of their opening match so will likely not have to bother with going through the reigning champions in the crunch team decider. If they're able to choose something from that video game They are going to be in pole situation to achieving the 2nd round.
Encouraged Wager
Despite the apparent 온라인카지노 toughness of the group, Croatia are much more than capable of qualifying from it offered their latest showings in qualifying for that finals. With among the meanest defences in Europe and a bunch of gamers plying their trade in Germany They are really a seem bet to comply with Brazil into the final 16.
Croatia to qualify from Group F @ 5/6