Croatia with the old stars Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic and Domagoj Vida has qualified for the final in the Nations League and can dream of their first major international title. In Rotterdam they won 4:2 (2:2, 0:1) after extra time against the Netherlands.
Bruno Petkovic (98th) and in the end the national legend Modric (117th / penalty kick) provided the decisive goals. The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute through Donyell Malen from Dortmund. After the equalizer with a penalty kick by Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric (55th), the game tipped over.
Mario Pasalic scored the second goal for Croatia (72′), before Noa Lang (90’+6) saved Oranje into extra time. Croatia, vice world champions from 2018, will now meet the winner of the second semi-final between Spain and European champions Italy in the final on Sunday (June 18, 2023, 8:45 p.m./live ticker at sportschau.de) in Rotterdam.
First of all, a game without risk
The two former world champions will face off in Enschede on Thursday. 50,000 spectators in the sold-out Stadion de Kuip experienced a first half in which both teams avoided the last risk. Malen’s fifth international goal, which left the Croatian defender unsorted, was the only clear scoring opportunity in the first 45 minutes.
Netherlands with comeback quality
And so Bond coach Ronald Koeman thoughtfully scratched his head despite the lead at half-time. When the European Championship triumphed in Germany in 1988, the now 60-year-old was still on the pitch himself.
Even after the restart, the players noticed that they were at the end of a long season. Only after the 1:1 equalization did the actions become more purposeful and the duels harder. Croatia got more and more upper water – but the Dutch came back again very late in injury time.
Resistance broken late
Only after the third goal for Croatia did the resistance of the hosts flag. With the bigger physique, Croatia brought the hard-fought victory over time.