Young Vatreni unexpectedly lost in the first game of the playoffs

The Croatian u21 national team did not have a good time in the first match of the playoffs to go to the European Championship. Namely, Ivica Olić’s team was defeated by Tbilisi in Georgia with a minimal score of 1:0.

The only goal in the match was an own goal by Marko Soldo. The second leg will be played on Tuesday at 19:00. The match did not start well for Ivica Olić’s team.

Georgia took the lead in the 4th minute. Saba Mamatashvili shot after the return ball, it was saved by Nikola Čavlin, but two Croatian players then collided in an attempt to clear the ball from the box before the onslaught of striker Giorgi Kvernadze. In the end, Marko Soldo scored an own goal.

After conceding a goal, Croatia started to create chances. Lovro Zvonarek hit the crossbar after a great breakthrough in the 15th minute. Matija Frigan managed to pass the home goalkeeper Luka Kharatashvili after the ball from Soldo, but he was unable to hit the frame of the goal. Georgians spent the rest of the first half mostly defending in their own half.

In the second half, we saw a straight red card for our goalkeeper Čavlina. He ran to a long ball, but did not kick it, but received it, but not well enough. Gizo Mamageishvili took the ball away from him and rushed towards the goal, and Čavlina had to knock him down.