By Mario Kempes
Croatia ended the dream of Russia. Having a World Cup at home and with an appropriate team to embark on a great adventure, it was a fantastic trip that has already ended. The Croats won the penalty shoot-out (4-3) after a 2-2 draw in the 120 minutes.
Croatia sits at the European table in the semifinals with another team called to transcend. Another golden generation of footballers, led by Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic. Now will play against England one of the semifinals of the World Cup in Moscow, next Wednesday.
Croatia has just escaped alive from the Russian hell. You have three days to recover and order your emotions. Leaving Russia out of the World Cup took 120 minutes, plus penalties.
The two came from that trance: Croatia against Denmark and the Russians against Spain. But things are not equivalent simply because they have lasted the same. The cost of getting rid of Russia may be high for Croatia if it does not reconstitute its tissues soon.
The Croatians ended up with players beaten, on the brink of their forces and they advanced in the middle of a dense atmosphere to compete. All the goals of Croatia (two in the match, four in the penalty shootout) fell like silent hammers at the Sochi stadium. All the shouting and the energy went to Russia. Croatia had to focus to win (as it could, but win) in a difficult area to carry.
It is never easy to eliminate the organizer in a World Cup, especially when that team is what it can and not what it should be. Russia was a homeowner without ambitions a month ago.
The championship transformed him into a team of stalwart loyalists to his coach, Stanislav Cherchasov, and taking them off the stage was an act of drama and a lot of tension.
Croatia uses the most common tactical scheme in this World Cup, 4-2-3-1, and it is in the midfield where the potential of their game is born. The two central midfielders, Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric, have quite a great start to the attack. With the two outsiders, Ivan Perisic and Ante Rebic, take advantage of the game by the bands to hurt.
Andrej Kramaric, although he acts with the number 9, is a delayed striker who joins the midfielders. And, at the tip, Mario Mandzukic has responded with sacrifice.
The Croats do not have a great gunner (or at least they have not worked for Mandzukic, who has a history of goalscorer), but in this World Cup, eight different players have scored a goal.