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Mario Mandzukic scored in the 109th minute to ensure that Croatia just about inched out a spirited England side to book a place in the World Cup final. The Croatians reach their first final in their history, overcoming the disappointment of a third-place finish in 1998.
A Kieran Trippier free-kick in the 5th minute gave England the early advantage they were looking for and despite constantly knocking on Croatian doors, they just couldn't find the net. They were punished by Ivan Perisic in the 68th minute and the game headed to extra-time.
With the ball in the air, Perisic awkwardly headed it back into the penalty box and Mandzukic confidently put it past Jordan Pickford as he caught the English defence sleeping. Croatia will now face France in the World Cup final, in what is set to be an absolute blockbuster of a match.
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#3 Ivan Perisic vs Kyle Walker
To be fair, this is Ivan Perisic against any English player who was deployed on their right side. The player was absolutely destructive down the flank. Trippier was doing the best he could to contain the effect the winger could have on the game, but there is only so much he could do.
The Tottenham right-back made five interceptions but the same cannot be said about Kyle Walker who struggled to deal with Perisic. Ante Rebic was causing similar problems down England's left, winning almost every 1v1 situation against Ashley Young as Croatia slowly grew into the game and asserted their dominance.
Perisic's role requires him to be a true work-horse and he was so from the get-go. Along with Mandzukic, the player's movements were incredibly well-timed and often confusing for the English defence who just couldn't keep up with the pace.
His goal in the 68th minute was coming; a series of chances had come their way and the Inter Milan winger had to awkwardly connect with a ball to beat Jordan Pickford. He once again punished a sleeping Kyle Walker when the defender failed to block his header that easily reached the box when it had no business doing so.
By creating three chances, picking up one assist and scoring the equalizer, Ivan Perisic has pulled off a near perfect World Cup semi-final performance.
#2 Luka Modric vs Jordan Henderson
With Trippier scoring exquisitely from a dead-ball situation in the fifth minute, the advantage looked to be in England's favour. They were controlling the game and were doing it with a subtle suave, moving the ball around comfortably and making ball retention a priority.
Croatia seems to be struggling with nerves in the early parts of the game, with Dele Alli, Jese Lingard and Jordan Henderson dictating the midfield. However, the Croatians slowly grew into the game, pressing higher and interfering with England's attempts at recycling possession.
Luka Modric was responsible for bringing down Dele Alli, which eventually led to the free-kick that resulted in his side going down by a goal but he quickly turned things around. The Croatian captain carefully orchestrated his side's build-up and was always a step ahead mentally when it came to negating Henderson's role.
Ivan Perisic was given the freedom to float and Ante Rebić continued to cause havoc down his flank and cause immense problems for Ashley Young.
With the game growing tenser by the minute, the English side missed a couple of key chances which would have seen them seal the deal. However, Modric's role in controlling the midfield ensured that Croatia were passing the ball with intent to score.
Too many times has it been seen that the ball is pinballed across the pitch for no end result but the Croatians were carving out near-opportunities which would bring them back into the game.
He was subbed off in the 119th minute, in what has been a tremendously balanced performance by the Real Madrid midfielder. His work will go unnoticed, but with 55% possession and 10 more shots than the Three Lions, the Croatians truly bossed the midfield.
#1 Mario Mandzukic vs John Stones
I think it's safe to say that the Croatian forward has been an absolute engine throughout this tournament. This is Croatia's third consecutive game that went into extra time and they just don't seem to be running out of any fuel.
Mario Mandzukic is instrumental to the way Croatia transition from defence to attack, with the striker often switching between roles that see him floating across the pitch or playing as a true target man.
His diagonal runs across the pitch was a constant problem for not just John Stones. The domino effect also saw Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire often confused when it comes to negating the influence of the Croatian forward line.
In fact, his presence in the box ensured that both the centre-backs had their sole focus on him, allowing Perisic to dart into the box and connect with the cross before Walker could completely react for Croatia's first goal.
He will be remembered as the man who hammered the final nail in the coffin for the Three Lions. With an aerial ball floating in dangerously, Walker was once again too late to react to it and John Stones was caught ball-watching. A smart run resulted in a goal that sent the Croatian fans into raptures.
Do you think Croatia can pip France to win the World Cup? Tell us in the comments below!
