Navas sends Spain through, Croatia out
Reuters - Monday 18 June 2012, 21:08
Reigning European champions
Spain lived to fight another day when a late Jesus Navas goal
gave them an edgy 1-0 victory over Euro 2012 Group C rivals
Croatia and sent them into the last eight of the tournament.
The goal that started with a piece of brilliance from
substitute Cesc Fabregas, who lobbed the ball over a napping
defence for Andres Iniesta to feed substitute Navas, killed off
Croatia's chances of a spot in the quarter-finals.
Spain topped the group on seven points with Italy, also
advancing after a 2-0 win over Ireland, on five and Croatia with
four. The Irish finished with zero.
It was, however, hardly a display that world champions Spain
will want to remember. "The performance as a whole was not
brilliant but we dominated," said coach Vicente del Bosque.
The Croats, needing only a victory to advance and refusing
to be intimidated, missed a golden chance through Ivan Rakitic
early in the second half.
Defeat would have sent the Spaniards out of the tournament.
The Croats were also unlucky not to have got a penalty five
minutes from time when Sergio Busquets blatantly dragged down
Vedran Corluka as he was ready to head in from two metres.
Spain will now meet the runners-up of Group D, which will be
France, England or co-hosts Ukraine who all play on Tuesday.
The loss also meant the end of a six-year stint for Croatia
coach Slaven Bilic who will join Lokomotiv Moscow next season.
"It was a tough match and they managed to play their game as
well," said Navas. "It was difficult to penetrate their
defences."
STRONG CROATS
The encounter was never going to be an exhibition of skills,
with the taller and stronger Croats trying to outmuscle the
diminutive Spaniards.
Spain, initially sticking with forward Fernando Torres in
the line-up after his two goals against Ireland, had the first
chance with the 28-year-old's header in the opening minutes.
As thick black clouds gathered above the amber-tinted
stadium, the Spaniards gradually found their rhythm with Gerard
Pique and Torres again coming close.
With the lion's share of possession in the first half, they
had control of the game, keeping their opponents constantly on
the backfoot but lacked the final decisive touch to score.
"We didn't have that many options going forward but that was
also down to their virtues," said Del Bosque. "Our first touch
let us down at times and that robbed us of speed and intensity."
Croatia grew more positive, especially after Italy scored in
the other game with the result flashed across the big screens,
and Rakitic should have scored but keeper Iker Casillas blocked
his header and the rebound after Luka Modric's pinpoint cross.
Bilic went for broke, throwing on forwards Nikica Jelavic,
Ivan Perisic as well as Eduardo in search of the winner as fans
lit flares in the stands forcing brief breaks in play for the
smoke to clear.
But while Croatia demanded a penalty for the pull on
Corluka, it was Spain who were rewarded when Fabregas's chip
beat the offside trap and Iniesta found Navas for an easy goal.
"The game plan was to thwart Spain in the first half and
have a go at them in the second," said Bilic. "It worked and we
did everything right except score. We came here to go all the
way and we failed because we lacked that tiny bit of luck that
makes all the difference."