Penalty shot lifts Croatia to 1-0 win over Austria
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
VIENNA, JUNE 9 (AP): Croatia's players were so dispirited by their 1-0 win over co-host Austria at the European Championship that coach Slaven Bilic opted against blasting them.
Instead, he put on some music. "When I went into our changing room, I could see that our players were not entirely satisfied," Bilic said Sunday. "But then I turned on the cassette player and told them to sing - after all we won the game. Of course, we will analyze the outcome of each match.
"Some of our players were overwhelmed playing in such a big match. In the first 35 minutes, we played excellently. Of course, the early goal contributed to that. Then our opponent starting exerting pressure on us, mainly in the second half. But I'm sure this is not down to our stamina."
It took Luka Modric's fourth-minute penalty - awarded after Ivica Olic was fouled by Rene Aufhauser - and a man-of-the-match performance from goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa to give Croatia victory in its opening Group B match at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
Having been completely overrun in the first half, Austria dominated after the interval to deserve at least a point from the match.
Austria coach Josef Hickersberger didn't want to criticize Dutch referee Pieter Vink for the spot kick, given after Olic had linked up on the left flank with Modric from a throw-in and induced
Aufhauser to commit a rash tackle. With goalkeeper Juergen Macho diving to his right, Modric sent the ball low and into the middle of the net from the penalty spot.
Modric's goal initially lifted Croatia and Austria struggled to contain the deft interplay in central midfield between Modric and captain Niko Kovac, with Darijo Srna down the right flank the main recipient of their wide passes.
Instead, he put on some music. "When I went into our changing room, I could see that our players were not entirely satisfied," Bilic said Sunday. "But then I turned on the cassette player and told them to sing - after all we won the game. Of course, we will analyze the outcome of each match.
"Some of our players were overwhelmed playing in such a big match. In the first 35 minutes, we played excellently. Of course, the early goal contributed to that. Then our opponent starting exerting pressure on us, mainly in the second half. But I'm sure this is not down to our stamina."
It took Luka Modric's fourth-minute penalty - awarded after Ivica Olic was fouled by Rene Aufhauser - and a man-of-the-match performance from goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa to give Croatia victory in its opening Group B match at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
Having been completely overrun in the first half, Austria dominated after the interval to deserve at least a point from the match.
Austria coach Josef Hickersberger didn't want to criticize Dutch referee Pieter Vink for the spot kick, given after Olic had linked up on the left flank with Modric from a throw-in and induced
Aufhauser to commit a rash tackle. With goalkeeper Juergen Macho diving to his right, Modric sent the ball low and into the middle of the net from the penalty spot.
Modric's goal initially lifted Croatia and Austria struggled to contain the deft interplay in central midfield between Modric and captain Niko Kovac, with Darijo Srna down the right flank the main recipient of their wide passes.