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New-look Croatia back in elite
Croatia have only missed out once on qualifying since UEFA
EURO '96™, and although they never found life easy in
Group 8 or the play-off against Slovenia, their 2004 finals
place was secured.
New generation
Coach Otto Baric, holding long experience at club level in
Germany and Austria as well as Croatia, took charge in July
2002 after his nation's FIFA World Cup group stage exit in
Korea/Japan, and had to deal with the retirement of the first
post-independence 'golden generation' of Alen Bokšic,
Robert Prosinecki and Davor Šuker, most famous for their
third place in France 98. However, his 4-4-2 tactics produced
a solid team always able to pull out a vital result when needed,
as Belgium, Bulgaria and Slovenia all found out.
Defensive selection
Stipe Pletikosa is the first-choice goalkeeper and kept seven
clean sheets in ten qualifiers, not conceding a home goal
until the play-offs. Darijo Srna was only 20 when the qualifiers
began, but his performances at right-back, both defensively
and as a marauding wing player were also crucial. Josip Šimunic
is the first-choice left-back, with Mato Neretljak able to
fill in, while Juventus FC's Igor Tudor partnered Robert Kovac
in an experienced central partnership. Dario Šimic, Mario
Tokic and Stjepan Tomas are versatile players that can also
fill in.
Midfield talent
There is no shortage of midfield talent at Baric's disposal.
Boris Zivkovic, Milan Rapaic, Giovani Rosso and Niko Kovac
are key contenders for starting places, with Ivica Mornar,
Jerko Leko, Marko Babic among those providing strong competition.
Up front, Dado Pršo hit strong form towards the end of
qualifying, scoring in both legs of the play-off, with Ivica
Olic his regular partner and Tomislav Šokota called up
for the decisive game in Ljubljana.
Winning form
Qualification seemed a long way off when Croatia were held
0-0 at home by Estonia in their first Group 8 game, and a
month later Bulgaria were by far the better team in Sofia
when they won 2-0. Croatia had to wait until March 2003 to
play their third qualifier, but their patience was rewarded
with what was to prove a decisive 4-0 triumph against Belgium
in Zagreb, Srna, Pršo, Tomislav Maric and Leko scoring
the goals. Four days later Rapaic struck twice to beat Andorra
2-0 in Varazdin to take Croatia up to second place, and in
June the winning streak continued as Niko Kovac scored the
only goal 14 minutes from time in Estonia.
Vital victory
They kept the pressure on leaders Bulgaria on 6 September,
Niko Kovac, Šimunic and Rosso scoring in a 3-0 triumph
in Andorra. However, Wesley Sonck struck either side of a
Šimic goal four days later in Brussels to give Belgium
a 2-1 victory that left the two level on points in second
as Bulgaria won in Andorra to qualify. Croatia did hold a
5-2 aggregate scoreline against Belgium to lead on head-to-head
rankings, and secured the victory they needed against Bulgaria
to enter the play-offs, Olic the scorer.
Play-off celebration
Neighbours Slovenia provided the hurdle to a Portuguese place,
and emerged from the Zagreb first leg level at 1-1, Pršo's
early goal cancelled out by Ermin Šiljak. But the prolific
Šiljak was suspended for the return, and although Igor
Tudor was dismissed just before the hour in Ljubljana, Pršo
poked in a goal two minutes later to give Croatia a deserved
lead they never squandered.
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