ZAGREB, June 6 (Reuters) - Croatia stayed on course to qualify for the
Euro 2008 finals and extended their unbeaten home run to 32 competitive
matches after a 0-0 draw with Russia in their Group E qualifier on Wednesday.
The Croatians, who have never lost a European Championship or World Cup
qualifier at home, top the group with 17 points from seven matches, ahead
on goal difference of Israel who have played a game more.
Third-placed Russia, on 15 points from seven games, and England, in fourth
on 14 from seven, are also very much in the hunt ahead of what Russia's
coach Guus Hiddink believes will be their crucial double-header in September
and October.
'That's when this tight group will be decided and hopefully we will be
able to perform well and get the results we need against England,' he
told Croatian television after seeing his team hang on against a more
adventurous home side.
'We are happy with the outcome here because very few teams have been able
to get a result against a top quality Croatia side in Zagreb and the performance
will also give us a lot of confidence,' he said.
Croatia had the Russians on the back foot for long spells but resolute
defending from the visitors and a good save from their keeper Vyacheslav
Malafeyev in the closing stages denied the hosts a sixth successive win
in the group.
After a dour first half, Croatia twice came close in the space of a minute
near the hour mark when Eduardo da Silva saw his shot into en empty net
charged down and Josip Simunic's looping header came off the crossbar.
Croatia, unable to break through a packed Russian midfield and carve out
clear-cut chances, pressed on with long balls in search of a winner and
almost got it when Malafaeyev parried Petric's fierce shot and then scrambled
the ball off the line.
The home team's coach Slaven Bilic was pleased with the performance but
rued a missed chance to pull clear of Croatia's rivals at the top of the
group.
'We did everything but score, the lads did a great job and played their
hearts out but it wasn't enough against a defensive Russian side,' he
said.
'It's a pity we didn't put them away because we were the better side but
the outcome still leaves us in a great position to qualify. It will be
a very interesting run-in though.'
Croatia's next match is at home to Estonia on Sept. 8, when Russia host
Macedonia while England entertain Israel.
Croatia 0 - 0 Russia
June 6, 2007
Stadium: Stadion Maksimir
Attendance: 38,000
Referee: Lubos Michel (Slovakia)
Teams
Croatia
Russia
1 Stipe Pletikosa
Viacheslav Malafeev 16
5 Vedran Corluka
Aleksandr Aniukov 22
4 Robert Kovac
Alexei Berezutsky 27
2 Dario Simic
Vasili Berezutsky 2
3 Josip Simunic
Sergei Ignashevich 5
22 Da Silva Eduardo
Viktor Boudianski 28
10 Nico Kovac
Vladimir Bystrov 23
19 Niko Kranjcar
Igor Semshov 20
14 Luka Modric
Yuri Zhirkov 18
11 Darijo Srna
Andrei Arshavin 10
18 Ivica Olic
Alexander Kerzhakov 11
Substitutes
12 Mario Galinovic
Vladimir Gabulov 30
13 Dario Knezevic
Denis Kolodin 25
8 Marko Babic
Dmitri Torbinsky 7
16 Jerko Leko
Konstatin Zurianov 17
15 Jurica Vranjes
Pavel Pogrebniak 13
25 Igor Budan
Ivan Saenko 9
21 Mladen Petric
Dmitri Sychev 26
Substitutions
J Leko for D Srna (8)
D Torbinsky for V Boudianski (46)
M Petric for N Kranjcar (66)
I Saenko for V Bystrov (61)
M Babic for I Olic (83)
D Sychev for A Kerzhakov (73)
Yellow Cards
Jerko Leko (72)
Dmitri Torbinsky (69)
Ivan Saenko (71)
,
June 6, 2007
Russian ladies dream about happy marriage.
Click on a photo...
