Tough: Croatia’s Mateo Kovacic looks dejected after the match against Albania. — Reuters
HAMBURG: Disappointed at squandering a lead to Albania in the dying seconds of a pulsating Euro 2024 match, Croatia’s focus turned straight to beating Italy in their final group game to secure a place in the knockout stages.
Croatia reached the World Cup final in 2018 and the semi-finals in Qatar two years ago, but are again struggling to reproduce that form at the European Championship despite boasting such talents as Luka Modric and Josko Gvardiol.
