WCQ Preview: Croatia - Kazakhstan
What: World Cup 2010 Qualifier, Group 6
Who: Croatia (3rd, 0pts), Kazakhstan (1st, 3pts)
When: Saturday 6 September 2008, 20:15 local time
Where:Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb
Referee: Stefan Johannesson (Sweden)
Croatia will come into
this game looking to get off to a start as strong as they did on their
way to the Euro 2008 semi-finals. Slaven Bilic's men did well to finish
top of their qualification group and top of their group in the
tournament, only to fall in the most dramatic of circumstances against
Turkey in the quarterfinals.
Bilic has certainly reinvigorated
Croatian football with his charisma and character and it reflects in
the players' performances. They have been both strong in defence as
well as potent in attack - though less so without injured star striker,
Eduardo da Silva. The eastern European side are even being considered
one of the bigger international sides in Europe and are regularly
touted as dark horses for every major tournament.
It will likely
be the same again this time around on the road to the 2010 World Cup in
South Africa. Again, Bilic and co have been drawn against England -
this time led by Fabio Capello - and the two sides will be competing
for top spot in the group.
Croatia have played just one friendly
since their quarterfinal exit at the Euros, a closely fought win over
Slovenia, but now come to face a fairly inestablished Kazakhstan in
their first qualifier for the World Cup. One of the best attributes of
the Croatia team has been their ability to ease through these potential
banana skin fixtures - particularly at home - and as such, there may be
little hope for Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan have never qualified for
a major tournament (though they did as part of the USSR) and that shows
little sign of changing, but they may take heart from their opening
win; a convincing 3-0 disposal of Andorra, possibly the only side
weaker than them in the group.
However, a visit to Croatia will
prove a much stiffer test of their ability and, crucially, their
resilience. It will be up to them to defend in numbers and hit fast on
the counterattack. Set-piece delivery will also be vital to their
chances of success, however remote they may be.
FORM GUIDECroatiaAug 23: Slovenia 2-3 Croatia (friendly)
Jun 20: Croatia 1-1 Turkey (p) (Euro 2008)
Jun 16: Poland 0-1 Croatia (Euro 2008)
Jun 12: Croatia 2-1 Germany (Euro 2008)
Jun 8: Austria 0-1 Croatia (Euro 2008)
May 31: Hungary 1-1 Croatia (friendly)
KazakhstanAug 20: Kazakhstan 3-0 Andorra (WCQ)
May 27: Montenegro 3-0 Kazakhstan (friendly)
May 23: Russia 6-0 Kazakhstan (friendly)
Mar 26: Armenia 1-0 Kazakhstan (friendly)
Feb 6: Moldova 1-0 Kazakhstan (friendly)
Feb 3: Azerbaijan 0-0 Kazakhstan (friendly)
TEAM NEWS
TBA
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Croatia - Luka Modric
Has
failed to set the world alight in his first few games as a Spurs
player, despite arriving to much fanfare and a hefty transfer fee. Is a
different proposition altogether for his country, and will likely be
behind much of Croatia's play as they look to press their fairly humble
visitors.
Kazakhstan - Sergei OstapenkoThe
striker scored his second and third goals for his country a fortnight
ago in the first qualifier against Andorra and will be eager to carry
that form into this crunch encounter. The 22-year-old will pose a
threat in the air from set-pieces, which may be Kazakhstan's only
genuine chance of breaching the Croatian rearguard.
PREDICTIONThe
hosts will likely have too much quality for their visitors, despite
their convincing win in their first game of qualification. As shown
against Slovenia, though, Bilic's men remain rusty and may not
steamroll their opponents as many may suspect looking at the sides on
paper.
Croatia 2-1 KazakhstanSulmaan Ahmad, Goal.com
