CROATIA 1 (3) DENMARK 1 (2)
Super Subasic saves it for Croatia
Two goals in three minutes and none further in the next 120 minutes set the scene for another exciting penalty shootout as Denmark and Croatia locked horns for the late show on Sunday.
It was way past midnight in the host country as the keepers prepared to face their barrage of five shots…but only after Kasper Schmeichel had saved one from Luka Modric seven minutes before the end of extra time.
Forget what went before; it was the goalkeepers who were ‘spot’ on – especially Danijel Subasic, who saved three of the five taken by Denmark.
Let’s admit, though, some of them were pretty tame efforts. Tired legs maybe.
Schmeichel also took his tally of penalty saves to three on the night, but only two in the final shootout.
Well done Croatia, who go through, but bad luck to the Danes who had given as good as they got during the match.
Croatia and Denmark served up more excitement in three minutes than Spain and Russia did in 120 minutes.
All it took was 58 seconds for the Danes to be in the score book via a prodigious long throw-in from Jonas Knudsen.
The Ipswich man, whose long-as-a-corner flings would feature throughout the match, hurled one in that bounced around the box where Nicolai Jorgensen stabbed it into and past Croatian keeper Subasic (1-0).
There was an almost identical scenario at the other end from the restart, as the ball bobbled in the Danes’ goal area and Mario Mandzukic beat Kasper Schmeichel on his right (1-1).
There were many if’s and’s and but’s in an open and direct game – so different to the previous match.
Croatia were looking good with Luka Modric of Real Madrid pulling the strings while Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen was conducting the Danish orchestra.
Evenly matched and with similar styles of play, the teams nullified each other.
To be honest, neither side showed any real dynamism up front and goals were more likely to come from defensive errors than brilliant attacks.
Croatia should have sewn it up in extra time when Jurgensen pulled down Ante Rebic who had already rounded Schmeichel.
The hero turned villain was lucky to escape with a yellow and was saved from a shooting squad when his keeper saved the spot kick.
In summary, both stoppers were brilliant in the sudden death lottery, but full marks to Croatia’s hero of the hour Danijel Subasic, the toast of his nation.
However, it would be hard to see Croatia going any further in the competition based on this match.
RUSSIA 1 (4) SPAIN 1 (3)
Russia pull a fast one over boring Spain
Never before have I been so happy to get a prediction wrong: Russia have beaten Spain on penalties after it was 1-1 after 120 minutes that felt like six hours.
What was the Spanish Imposition – they played more than 1000 passes in full control – will now certainly become another Spanish Inquisition.
Other than the excitement of the shoot-out, this was far and away the most boring game of the tournament.
Between Spain’s fancy pants, go nowhere, side-to-side passing and Russia’s ultra-defensive, crowd the box set-up, this was terrible to watch.
I mean, when the crowd at a Last 16 knockout match starts a Mexican wave, you just know it’s too dreary to look at.
Russia prayed for, and played, for a penalty shoot-out, their only real hope of getting through.
Seeded 60 places higher than Russia on the FIFA rankings, Spain were always odds-on favourites to go through to the quarter finals.
They were well on their way in the 11th minute when Russian captain Sergei Ignashevich decided to rugby tackle Sergio Ramos rather than attempt to clear the ball, which struck his leg and trickled in – serves him right (1-0).
Rather than press home their advantage, Spain chose the boring route, each round of inter-passing ending where it started – getting nowhere, like someone in the gym on an exercise bicycle.
Russia had surrendered the midfield but in a rare attack, Gerard Pique handled in the box from a corner and a grateful Artem Dzyuba nearly burst the back of the net with his spot kick (1-1).
Still, Spain clearly had them on the ropes but chose to hold back the killer punch.
The game had needed that goal to liven it …but it didn’t.
Spain continued the go nowhere route and only when they awoke Iniesta from his siesta – inexplicably they had started him on the bench – did they look remotely like attacking.
And soon the sideways style resumed; it was death by passing – just why people throw things at TV sets.
Even the extra time was boring. And Russia on their part did nothing to enliven the situation.
But they had worked their plan perfectly, knowing the lottery that is the penalty shootout.
They held their nerve, winning 5-3 from the spot, to the joy of the nation.
Not to mention putting millions more viewers like me out of the potential horror of having to watch Spain again in the next round.
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