TOPS/FLOPS – The funny entrance of Gjasula, the impact of Budimir or the sterility of the Croats… Find out what to remember from the draw between Albania and Croatia on Wednesday in Hamburg (2-2).
TOPS
Gjasula, all’s well that ends well
Four minutes. That’s how long it took Klaus Gjasula to be decisive… on the wrong side. The experienced Albanian defensive midfielder (34 years old) came on in the 72nd minute to close the shop and preserve the minimal advantage. Andrej Kramaric equalized (74th) then Luka Susic, with a double-counted shot, pushed him to the goal against his camp (76th). Touch. But not sunk.
In added time, while the exhausted Croats were impatiently awaiting the final whistle, Gjasula projected himself to finish a cross from Mario Mitaj. With an applied shot, the player from Darmstadt, in Germany, gave his team a draw (2-2). This is his first goal with Albania (29 caps) and his first since January 15, 2022 and an obscure German D2 match. Patience and determination rewarded.
Read alsoEuro 2024: Croatia caught on the edge by Albania and now with its back to the wall
Budimir changed everything
Starting against Spain, he saw Bruno Petkovic preferred at the forefront of the Croatian attack this Wednesday. This same Petkovic he replaced in the 69th minute to change the game. Subtle decisive passer in pivot for Kramaric (74th), very close to repeating for Mario Pasalic in stride (75th), then an overflow which led to the second Croatian goal (76th). There is no victory at the end, but there would perhaps have been defeat without Budimir.
Ante Budimir sur le second but croate.
BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Buriakov / Imago / Panoramic
FLOPS
Majer, copy to throw away
45 minutes and not one more. Lovro Majer remained on the bench for the second half against Albania. A choice that is anything but surprising on the part of Zlatko Dalic. It is essentially from him that we expect the spark when Croatia comes up against a low block as was the case on Wednesday. Uninspired in his passes or in his dribbles (1 attempted, 1 successful), the former Rennais wandered like a lost soul, without ever making the difference in one-on-one while Croatia sought to offer him these situations advantageous.
The first catastrophic period of the Croats
5 shots, 1 on target and 0.27 “expected goals” at the break for Croatia, compared to 8 shots, 3 on target and 0.86 “expected goals” for Albania. The nation on the checkerboard offered the typical content of a big team which has the ball but which is tearing its hair out against a low block. The rare attempts by Kovacic or Brozovic, not on target or not supported enough, never worried Thomas Strakosha. A sterility with which it is difficult to hope to reach the round of 16 of the Euro.
