Croatia fails to cash in at second World Cup match

19/06/2006

In its second match of the 2006 World Cup the Croatian national team dominated Japan but was unable to come up with a goal.

By Jovan Djerich for Southeast European Times in Novi Sad -- 19/06/06

Croatian midfielder Niko Kovac (left) vies with Japanese midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata during the World Cup 2006 Group F football match Japan vs Croatia on Sunday (18 June) at Nuremberg Stadium. [Getty Images]

The squad Croatian national coach Zlatko Kranjcar chose for the 2006 World Cup in Germany has had problems utilising their chances and making the most of their well-organised play. As during their clash with Brazil five days earlier, in the second match of the group stage the Croatians played with skill and resilience, but even a penalty kick wasn't enough for them to score a goal.

In the 21st minute of the first half, Prso was brought down inside the Japanese penalty area. Srna, showing that he deserves his nickname "the Croatian Beckham", sent a ball towards the bottom right-hand corner of the opponent's goal. But Japanese goalkeeper Kawaguchi was right there to make the save.

The Blue Samurai goalie's contribution in the 34th minute was less impressive, as he failed to trap a backpass and nearly allowed an own-goal. The best opportunity for the Samurai evaporated in the 51st minute, when Yahagisawa missed an empty goal from a distance of 6m to 7m.

Croatians Klasnic and Kranjcar had about a dozen chances to change the score, but couldn't deliver. It was the team's 12th match at a World Cup tournament and their first draw ever. Eight years ago Croatia came out a goal ahead when they met Japan at the same stage of the tournament at France 1998.

During their next battle the Croats will lack their powerful defender Robert Kovac, who received his second yellow card and will be out for one match. Japanese captain Miyamoto will also be missing from his team's upcoming encounter with Brazil, for the same reason.

Japan looked nervous through most of the match. Their coach, legendary Brazilian player Arthur Antonios Coimbra "Ziko", will have to overhaul many aspects of Japan's play if he hopes to accomplish something against his compatriots on Thursday.

The same day, Croatia faces Australia and must win the match in order to move into the round of 16.

Nuremberg, Frankenstadion. Attendance: 41,000. Referee: de Bleeckere (Belgium). Croatia: Pletikosa, Srna (Bosnjak 87’), Simunic, Kovac R, Tudor (Olic 70’), Simic, Babic, Prso, Kovac N, Klasnic, Kranjcar (Modric 78’). Japan: Kawaguchi, Miyamoto, Nakata H, Ogasawara, Takahara (Oguro 85’), Nakamura, Yanagisawa (Tamada 62’), Santos, Fukunishi (Inamoto 45’), Kaji, Nakazawa.