Monday, Oct 21, 2013
Fujairah: Croatia recovered from their opening 3-1 defeat to Morocco with a narrow 1-0 win over Panama in the second match of Group C at Fujairah Stadium on Monday.
Ante Rogulic provided the game’s only goal after 26 minutes, bursting into the box from a Elvir Maloku pass, before wrong-footing Chin Hormechea to slot home to the right of the goalkeeper.
This had followed two earlier opportunities by Fran Brodic, who shot wide of the mark from the edge of the area and then saw a closer effort at the near post go begging.
Panama’s Luis Zuniga should have done better with a free header inside the area, as should Croatia’s Duje Caleta-Car, who displayed the same wastefulness up the other end.
And Maloku overlooked a simple pass into the box to Brodic, only to go all the way and be denied twice by keeper Jaime De Gracia in his first shot and follow-up.
Meanwhile, Panama came close to equalising just before the interval when Malciades Molina’s free-kick strayed just over the crossbar.
Eliecer Dominguez and Luis Canate started the second half with hurried long shots wide and off the mark, as if reflective of the urgency Panama now found themselves needing to show.
But unflustered Croatia continued to press, with Rogulic testing the keeper with a low shot between the defender’s legs.
Panama’s Ervin Zorilla at least attempted a run into the area after the hour but was so surprised at having made it as far as the corner of the six-yard box that he simply ran out of steam when it mattered most.
Bojoan Knezevic then missed a sitter for Croatia up the other end after Robert Muric’s goalmouth pass caught him unawares at the back post.
That near miss was enough to motivate Panama, with lone frontman Zorilla again floundering under the pressure of a one-on-one, before Vidal Gonzalez’s long shot hit the crossbar.
But for a last Croatian effort cleared off the line by Kevin Galvan, it appeared Ivan Gudelj’s side were just thankful of the three points.
It was another disappointing display from the highly-regarded if overmarked Alen Halilovic, who despite going on mazy Diego Maradona-like runs into the final third, never managed to break into the danger zone and make his efforts count.
Having also lost their opening game 2-0 to Uzbekistan, Panama now have no chance of progressing to second round, rendering the result of their last match against Morocco in Sharjah on Thursday academic.
By Ashley Hammond Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
