Croatia have won all their Group D matches, including a 3-0 hammering of Lionel Messi's Argentina. Led by Real Madrid's midfield lynchpin Luka Modric, Croatia also defeated Nigeria and Iceland to top Group D
Croatia skipper Luka Modric during a practice session at the Roschino Arena on Friday. Pic/AFP
In-form Croatia will be hot favourites against Denmark, who have looked lacklustre in the group stages, when the two sides clash in a World Cup pre-quarters here today.
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Croatia have won all their Group D matches, including a 3-0 hammering of Lionel Messi's Argentina. Led by Real Madrid's midfield lynchpin Luka Modric, Croatia also defeated Nigeria and Iceland to top Group D. The pre-quarters will be played at the same venue where the Croats thumped Argentina. This time, Croatia have an experienced squad, a strong generation to at least match their best-ever finish of a third place which happened in 1998 World Cup.
"I was nine-years-old. I remember my mum screaming in the house when we scored," defender Dejan Lovren said recalling Croatia's 2-1 win over the Netherlands in 1998 that secured third place. "We can beat that, definitely, but we need luck. We have a good opponent in the next round, it will be difficult," said Lovren. Croatia will once again depend on Modric, who has been in outstanding form, and fellow midfielder Ivan Rakitic to deliver the goods.
Modric scored a peach of a goal from distance against Argentina and along with FC Barcelona's Rakitic, has been pulling the strings brilliantly for his national team. The younger crop of Croatia players like Ante Rebic, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic have also rose to the occasion making them a threat.
Denmark, meanwhile, are happy to continue flying under the radar, buoyed by a 17-match unbeaten run. They have scored just two goals in three Group C games, finishing as runners-up, but will face their sternest test yet today. They too are seeking to match their 1998 achievement when they reached the quarter-finals before being beaten by Brazil in what was their best World Cup showing.
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