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Croatia player ratings against Belgium
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Dominik Livakovic - 6/10
The Croatian shot-stopper should've probably dealt with the ball better in the build-up to the goal, but cannot be blamed entirely. Apart from that one instance, Livakovic looked quite solid. From playing with his feet to making an excellent close-range stop that denied Lukaku, he grew in confidence.
Sime Vrsaljko - 5/10
Although he showed glimpses of his excellent attacking forays towards the late stages of the game, Vrsaljko was not at his best. The full-back struggled early on to deal with Yannick Carrasco and flattered to deceive with his crosses and delivery as a whole.
Domagoj Vida - 5/10
Often bullied by Lukaku's strength, Vida was made to work really hard to try and keep the Belgian quiet. The centre-back also struggled in terms of playing out from the back and could not pose enough of a threat from set-pieces.
Duje Caleta-Car - 5/10
Got out of jail early when Lukaku was punished for a foul after he struggled to deal with the striker inside the penalty area. Although he made a number of blocks, it was indeed a hard day at the office for Caleta-Car. The Marseille defender could be a stopgap arrangement until Dejan Lovren is fit.
Borna Barisic - 6/10
The Rangers full-back looked lively early on as he forayed further forward on the left flank. Barisic combined well with Perisic in defense as well after Belgium got going. Unfortunately he picked up a bloodied nose and had to be withdrawn at half-time.
Luka Modric - 7/10
Smooth and effortless, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner impressed for Croatia. Modric, who did not flatter to deceive unlike some of his teammates, proved his outrageous talent in a few instances. A nutmeg on Tielemans before pinging a cross-field pass to Rebic from deep within his own half was breath-taking. Later, Lukaku also fell prey to his nutmeg. Shame he had to be withdrawn, but understandable ahead of the Euro opener against England.
Marcelo Brozovic - 6/10
The defensive midfielder did not shy away from sticking his foot out to try and set off fires. Brozovic successfully slid in to win the ball back in numerous instances, but it was his unfortunate flick that set the ball on a plate for Romelu Lukaku to find the back of the net. Recovered well, but not enough in the end.
Mateo Kovacic - 5/10
The Chelsea midfielder did not hit top-gear in the middle of the park. Perhaps he is still only waking up from the stuff of dreams in Porto last month. Kovacic provides stability in midfield, certainly an important member of this team nonetheless.
Ante Rebic - 4/10
It wasn't the kind of display that would've helped Rebic back his claims to be a guaranteed starter for Croatia. The winger failed to make the desired impact out wide and struggled to track Nacer Chadli at times. Hooked just after the hour mark.
Bruno Petkovic - 4/10
Dinamo Zagreb's marksman struggled to make an impact upfront for Croatia. Petkovic failed to act as the focal point and was mostly peripheral for the majority of the game. Apart from helping out defensively from set-pieces and a one-off turn to dribble quickly, he hardly came into the picture.
Ivan Perisic - 5/10
It seemed like Perisic would enjoy a lot going forward in the opening exchanges. However, as soon as Belgium grew in confidence, the veteran was forced to track back and help out. Soon, that became a recurring trend. Not that he didn't do too well, but he's much more impactful on the other end.
Substitutes (Croatia)
Josko Gvardiol - 5/10
The highly-rated 19-year-old seemed unfazed by the occasion of facing the world's no.1 team. However, Gvardiol could do nothing to turn the game on its head after replacing Borna Barisic at the interval.
Mario Pasalic - 5/10
The Atalanta midfielder came in for the influential Luka Modric in the 61st minute. Not the easiest of boots to fill for Pasalic, as evident during the game.
Nikola Vlasic - 5/10
After replacing Mateo Kovacic, Vlasic was heavily involved in Croatia's late attempts to try and steal an equalizer. Nothing fruitful came out of it though, unfortunately.
Andrej Kramaric - 5/10
The striker replaced the misfiring Ante Rebic. Not enjoyed enough time on the ball to try and leave a meaningful impact.
Josip Brekalo - 6/10
Forced an excellent save off Thibaut Courtois in the dying embers after replacing Bruno Petkovic. Injected directness and pace into the game, Brekalo could be someone to watch at the Euros.
Mislav Orsic - N/A
Replaced Ivan Perisic in the 80th minute.
