The Netherlands’s coach Ronald Koeman doffs hat to opposition camp’s midfield maestro who helped Croatia emerge 4-2 victors and enter Sunday’s UEFA Nations League final
Luka Modric
Midfielder Luka Modric scored an extra-time penalty to seal a thrilling 4-2 win for Croatia over the Netherlands and a place in the Nations League final.
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Thousands of ecstatic red-and-white clad Croatia fans chanted “Luka! Luka! Luka!” after the 37-year-old completed the scoring from the penalty spot in the 116th minute on Wednesday. “We couldn’t believe how many fans for Croatia there were in the stadium. That was really phenomenal. They give us great support and that’s something that drives us and moves us forward,” said Modric, in his 165th appearance for the national team. After captaining Croatia to victory over Morocco in the third-place game at the World Cup in Qatar, he had said that he wanted to “continue until at least the Nations League and after that we will see.”
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said Modric was, “in one word: fantastic.”
Croatia skipper Luka Modric converts a penalty against the Netherlands in Rotterdam. Pics/AFP
“Sometimes there’s a player for the opponent who is so decisive and so good that I can—it’s hard to say —enjoy watching,” Koeman said. Croatia was runner-up at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and third last year in Qatar.
Substitute Bruno Petkovic also scored in extra-time with a shot from just outside the penalty area that flew low into the corner, just out of the reach of Justin Bijlow as staunch Dutch resistance finally crumbled. Another substitute, Netherlands forward Noa Lang, had forced the game into extra time with a volleyed equalizer six minutes into stoppage time.
Earlier in the pulsating match, a 55th-minute penalty by Andrej Kramaric—awarded for a foul on Modric—and a shot by Mario Pasalic (73rd min) cancelled out Donyell Malen’s opener (34th min) to keep Croatia and Modric in the hunt for their first major international title. Modric shot in goal in the 24th minute, but referee István Kovács blew for a foul by Pasalic.
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