ANTHEMS SUNG
All 22 players sing their anthem with their hands on their hearts. Stirring stuff. Kick-off is just three minutes away now.
Eagles Starting X1 against Croatia
Croatia: Subasic; Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Strinic; Perisic, Modric, Rakitic, Rebic; Kramaric, Mandzukic
Substitutes: Livakovic; Corluka, Kovacic, Brozovic, L Kalinic, Jedvaj, Bradaric, Caleta-Car, N Kalinic, Badelj, Pjaca, Pivaric
Nigeria: Uzoho; Shehu, Troost-Ekong, Balogun; Idowu, Ndidi, Etebo, Moses, Mikel; Iwobi, Ighalo
Substitutes: Ezenwa; Echiejile, Musa, Simy, Iheanacho, Obi, Akpeyi, Onazi, Ogu, Awaziem, Ebuehi, Omeruo
Live Updates (Text)
Live Updates (Text)
90+2: BIG MISS! Kovacic has the ball in the area and instead of squaring to Perisic for an open goal he opts to shoot and Uzoho gets down low to make the save.
A simple pass and that’s 3-0…
90: Nigeria just can’t carve out an opportunity. We’ll have FOUR added minutes here.
90+2: BIG MISS! Kovacic has the ball in the area and instead of squaring to Perisic for an open goal he opts to shoot and Uzoho gets down low to make the save.
A simple pass and that’s 3-0…
90: Nigeria just can’t carve out an opportunity. We’ll have FOUR added minutes here.
89: YELLOW! Brozovic commits a foul and goes into the book as Moses looks to send in a free-kick from the centre circle.
88: SUB! The big forward Nwankwo comes on to replace Mikel in the final roll of the dice for Nigeria.
87: Nigeria get the ball into the Croatia area, but Iheanacho and then Moses can’t get a shot on target and the danger is cleared.
86: SUB! Mandzukic is replaced by Pjaca in the final change of the night for Croatia.
84: Now Perisic is down on the floor following a clash with Shehu. The elbow from the Nigeria man looked nasty, but no cards are shown.
81: GOOD DEFENDING! Iheanacho almost finds fellow sub Musa, but Strinic gets across to cut out the danger. Both players are down injured after that.
84: Now Perisic is down on the floor following a clash with Shehu. The elbow from the Nigeria man looked nasty, but no cards are shown.
79: For a moment it looks like Modric might bag a second, but Perisic’s cut-back is cut out by the Nigeria defence.
78: SUB! Rebic makes way for Kovacic in Croatia’s second change of the evening.
75: Ighalo goes off and Leicester striker Iheanacho comes on. Nigeria need some inspiration from somewhere.
74: Another corner to Croatia and Rakitic takes. Mandzukic’s header is cleared by Balogun, however.
72: Ekong’s team-mates will be furious with him. He had Mandzukic in a wrestling hold as the ball sailed over his head. The referee has no option. Stupid, stupid defending.
Modric steps up and sends the goalkeeper the wrong way. He slots it low with pace to the right of Uzoho and that is surely game over.
Modric steps up and sends the goalkeeper the wrong way. He slots it low with pace to the right of Uzoho and that is surely game over
70: PENALTY TO CROATIA!!! Ekong has his arms all over Mandzukic as the corner comes in. He gets booked. It’s a good spot from the referee.
69: Perisic earns a corner off Shehu, who does well to stand up to the Inter Milan winger. Modric will take…
Rebic really should have scored 10 minutes after half-time. His face tells you the story…
66: Moses stumbles in the area. He hits the deck. I’ve typed those words a few times in my life. It’s never a penalty…
64: Croatia fly forward, but Rebic and Vrsaljko get in each other’s way on the right flank and the move breaks down.
63: Rakitic takes this one, but Mandzukic nuts it over the bar. Harmless.
63: A dangerous Modric free-kick is headed out of play by Ekong and Croatia have a corner…
64: Croatia fly forward, but Rebic and Vrsaljko get in each other’s way on the right flank and the move breaks down.
63: Rakitic takes this one, but Mandzukic nuts it over the bar. Harmless.
63: A dangerous Modric free-kick is headed out of play by Ekong and Croatia have a corner..
62: SUB! Iwobi comes off to be replaced by Musa of Leicester City. That surprises me too. Iwobi doesn’t look happy about it as he trudges towards the Nigeria bench.
60: SUB! This surprises me. The lively Kramaric goes off and is replaced by Brozovic for Croatia.
55: WHAT A MISS!!! Rebic volleys wide from inside the six-yard box after Perisic’s left-wing cross is perfectly into his path inside the six-yard box. Shocking!
54: Here’s another one as Perisic heads out Ndidi’s throw for a corner. However, Moses’ kick sails over everyone and Iwobi’s follow-up delivery is little better.
53: This game is being played at a very slow tempo. A lack of urgency from both sides. Nigeria seem almost totally dependent on set pieces for any sort of offensive threat.
48: Croatia eventually clear the ball at the third attempt. They don’t look completely confident dealing with set-pieces.
46: An early corner for Nigeria as Strinic heads out. Moses to take…
46: Croatia will go top of Group D and set down a real marker if they hold on to this lead. All to play for… The Croats kick us off.
HT: Croatia have dominated possession and a worthy of their 1-0 half-time lead, which was gifted to them when Mandzukic’s header was deflected into his own net by the unfortunate Etebo.
45: There will be a minimum of TWO minutes of added time.
45: Moses’ set piece is headed back to Iwobi on the edge of the area by a Croatia defender. He strikes low and it’s fizzing towards goal, but Lovren blocks well.
45: Moses is tripped by Rebic just on the right-edge of the area. Nigeria can swing in a free-kick late in this first-half…
43: Croatia have had all the chances and most of the possession. It was a lucky goal, but they deserve it…
42: A well-worked Croatia move ends in a wild, wild finish from full-back Vrsaljko who sends his effort high and wide from the right of the area.
41: There’s a break in play for the two sets of supporters to trade chants as Rebic receives treatment for an injury. He looks fit to carry on.
41: There’s a break in play for the two sets of supporters to trade chants as Rebic receives treatment for an injury. He looks fit to carry on.
39: CLOSE! A trademark Modric long pass finds Rebic on the right. The ball is then fed in by Rakitic and Kramaric swivels to head with his back to goal and it sails narrowly, narrowly over the top
37: The lively Kramaric frees Vrsaljko on the right, but he can’t get the ball under control and Nigeria deal with the danger.
35: Some confusion in the stadium as Kramaric is declared the scorer as he was hovering near the unfortunate Etebo, but I think that will definitely go down as an own goal. Croatia deserve their lead.
32: Kramaric’s cross is chested back by Mandzukic to Rebic on the edge of the area and his strike deflects out for a corner off Shehu.
30: YELLOW! The first of the game as Rakitic dives in and catches Moses late on the half-way line. The Chelsea man goes down after taking a few painful studs on the ankle. Right decision.
27: Uzoho mis-kicks the ball out for a Croatia throw-in, just 20 yards from goal. Perisic swings a cross in, but Rebic is penalised as he jumps with Shehu.
The game is reminding me a bit of their friendly against Poland in March. Nigeria frustrated the Poles, looking really solid and decent in possession. They won one-nil. It will take something special to recreate that against Croatia. But so far so good for Gernot Rohr’s team.
16: SHOT! Kramaric takes a touch and shoots from fully 30 yards. It’s always curling wide, but Uzoho was worried for a brief moment as it sails past his right-hand post.
14: CHANCE! The best move of the game sees Croatia nearly go ahead. Rebic cuts in from the left and finds Mandzukic, who lays off the ball for Perisic on the edge of the area. He strikes narrowly over the bar with Uzoho beaten. Sizzling stuff.
9: Modric takes the corner himself short to Rebic but his follow-up cross is headed away by Ighalo.
8: Modric sends another long raking pass forward and Shehu is forced to chest it behind for the first corner of the game…
6: Mandzukic fouls Etebo, but Moses’ free-kick is dealt with and Croatia can attack. The move eventually breaks down when Rebic brings down Moses inside the Nigeria area and the African side earn a free-kick.
1: KICK-OFF: The fourth game of the day – and the eighth of this tournament so far – is up and running. Nigeria kick off in their dark green kit. Croatia in their classic white and red checks.