Croatia to boot Russia into UEFA play-off chaos
Nothing less than a win will do for Croatia when they welcome Russia to the Stadion Polijud in Split on Sunday afternoon in the final group game of qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Both sides dished out heavy beatings to Malta and Cyprus respectively, though goal difference will not be a determining factor as to who tops the pool and automatic advancement to Qatar next year. Read our preview here:
All Mod cons
Zlatko Dalić will be looking to squeeze one last push out of his veteran-filled squad in order to avoid the lottery of the play-offs. Many of the more seasoned members of the roster rolled back the years against kind opposition on Thursday, rattling off seven goals (with only a comical error by Marcelo Brozović blotting their copy paper). Back at home though, they know they'll be in for a far tougher fight, and matches against Russia in recent years have always been tight affairs, usually ending in draws. That won't do, and skipper Luka Modrić will be leading the charge to ensure the vital victory is secured. The diminutive playmaker will seek to pull the strings in a deep-lying role as half of the double pivot, and his understanding with the likes of Ivan Perišić and the back on form Andrej Kramarić will be vital in turning the visitors' backline. Lovro Majer should be rewarded for the brace on his full debut by retaining his inverted winger role on the right of the trio behind the sole striker.
The Ero of his ways
Valeri Karpin has had a fantastic start to life as head coach of Сборная, winning five and drawing the other (against Croatia when he made his bow). The emphasis under his management has been firmly on being on the front foot, though he might find that strategy hard to maintain away to adversaries stacked in the middle of the park. The trio in the engine room like to advance with the ball, with the rangy Fedor Smolov likely being the focal point for passes forwards. The even taller Aleksandr Erokhin put in a masterful performance against Cyprus, adding two goals to his tally. A late bloomer in terms of international recognition, the versatile Zenit player will be a massive threat from any set piece, as well as making late runs into the area. His forays into the final third must not be left unchecked if the hosts are to be successful.
Zlat's that
It took penalties for the two eastern European nations to be separated at the last World Cup at the quarter final stage, with Kockasti ultimately triumphing en route to their first ever final in a major tournament. A similar scoreline won't be sufficient, and Russia are unlikely to come to Split just to sit in and hit the hosts on the break. betway are offering odds of 3.60 for a Croatia win with both teams to score.
