Sunday, 15 July 2018

WORLD CUP 2018: CROATIA VS FRANCE MATCH PREVIEW

France forward Kylian Mbappe





Amazing Mbappe excels in 2018 world cup.

TEAM NEWS

France midfielder Blaise Matuidi is set to start despite being forced off against Belgium following a heavy collision with Eden Hazard.
Although he appeared dazed after the incident, Matuidi is not believed to have suffered concussion.
Head coach Zlatko Dalic admits Croatia have some "minor injuries" to contend with.
Winger Ivan Perisic is reportedly nursing an injury and missed training on Friday.
Centre-back Domagoj Vida is available for selection after being cleared by Fifa for appearing in a video in which he appears to again say "Glory to Ukraine!"
Marcelo Brozovic is likely to keep his place after impressing against England.
Fellow midfielder Ivan Rakitic played 120 minutes against the Three Lions despite suffering from a fever the previous night.
"I was lying in bed finding the strength to play and it was worth it," Rakitic said after the semi-final win.
"I would play a final without a leg if necessary," he added.



OVERVIEW
So football's not coming home - but it might be heading next door. England's cross-channel neighbours France have the chance join an elite club - that of multiple World Cup winners - when they take on Croatia on Sunday.
Only Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and Uruguay have been crowned world champions on more than one occasion.
But should France falter at the final hurdle, just as they did at Euro 2016, Croatia will become only the ninth different country to lift the trophy.
With a population of just 4.3m - a third the size of Moscow - they would also be the second smallest country to win it, behind Uruguay (1930 and 1950).

VIEW FROM BOTH CAMPS

France head coach Didier Deschamps: "There is a spirit in the squad that can move mountains. They are young and they will be even stronger in two and four years' time."
"We have created an opportunity to become world champions but we are still not there. But we want to fulfil our destiny."
Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic: "At this World Cup, the star-studded teams relying on the big names are already on the beach. It's the compact, united teams fighting for something that are still around.
"It's been the strangest World Cup. Football has advanced so much so any team can have well-organised defence, so there are no huge winning margins and the team is everything.
"This was our problem for 10 years, we had great individuals but no unity and that's why I had to build that unity of purpose in the team."

Facts And Analysis:
-None of Olivier Giroud's 13 shots have been on target. Since 1966, no player has had more attempts at a World Cup without directing at least one on target
"France began the World Cup as one of the five biggest favourites but as the others have fallen by the wayside, the French team now has the biggest chance of winning a World Cup final since West Germany in 1990.
-"France have had to beat three of Gracenote's top-10 ranked teams in the world in the knockout phase to get this far and now face a fourth, 10th placed Croatia, in the World Cup final."

France progress tracker
- "Croatia are the first genuine pre-tournament dark horse to reach a World Cup final since the World Cup increased its number of participants to 24 in 1982.
-"It is not surprising then to find that Croatia are the biggest underdogs in a World Cup final since Argentina played Germany in 1990. Croatia's run to the final included beating teams ranked 17th, 43rd and eighth in the world by Gracenote during the knockout phase.
-"France are ranked second and will be by far the toughest opponent Croatia have faced in Russia."
Croatia progress tracker
Head-to-head
  • France are unbeaten in their five previous games with Croatia, winning three times. They have met twice before at major tournaments.
  • The French came from a goal down to beat Croatia 2-1 in the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup thanks to an unlikely brace from Lilian Thuram. Those proved to be Thuram's only goals in his 142 caps.
  • The teams also drew 2-2 in the group stage at Euro 2004.
  • The only meeting since then was a goalless draw in a friendly at the Stade de France in March 2011.
  • The French are the sixth nation to reach three or more World Cup finals, following in the footsteps of Germany (eight), Brazil and Italy (both six), Argentina (five) and the Netherlands (three).
  • This will be France's sixth final at a major tournament (including three at the European Championship). They have won three of the previous five.
  • Three of France's four goals in World Cup finals have come from set-pieces (two from corners, one from a penalty).
  • Three of France's five goalscorers at this World Cup have been defenders (Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti).
  • The last time three French defenders scored at a World Cup was in 1998, when they lifted the trophy.
  • Excluding shootouts, France have lost just one of their last 14 knockout games at the World Cup (W11, D2). That defeat was their 1-0 loss to Germany in the 2014 quarter-finals.
  • Didier Deschamps is looking to become the third man to win the World Cup as a player and as head coach, after Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer. He's won 73% of his games at the World Cup (eight out of 11).
  • France have trailed for just nine minutes and 12 seconds at this World Cup, while Croatia have been behind in all three of their knockout matches.
  • None of Olivier Giroud's 13 shots at this World Cup have been on target. Since 1966, no player has had more attempts at a World Cup without directing at least one on target.
  • Kylian Mbappe could become only the second teenager to score in a World Cup final, after Pele. His tally of three goals already makes him the highest scoring teen since Pele netted six in 1958.
  • Antoine Griezmann has scored or assisted 11 goals in nine knockout games at major tournaments (World Cup and European Championship). That is more than any other French player in the last 50 years, ahead of Zinedine Zidane (eight) and Michel Platini (six).
Croatia
  • Croatia are the 13th different nation to reach a World Cup final.
  • The previous two first-time finalists both won the tournament (France in 1998 and Spain in 2010).
  • Croatia are the first team to have reached the World Cup final despite trailing in all three of their knockout games.
  • The Croats have played extra time in their last three matches and could become the first team in World Cup history to play extra time in four matches at a single tournament.
  • Croatia have scored 12 goals and have had eight different goalscorers (excluding own goals) - only Belgium boast higher figures (14 goals and nine goalscorers, prior to the third-place play-off).
  • They have scored in their last 10 World Cup games, since a 0-0 draw with Japan in 2006.
  • Four of the five goals Croatia have conceded in Russia have come from set-pieces. They've conceded from a penalty, a throw-in, an indirect free-kick and a direct free-kick.
  • Croatia have conceded more fouls (99) and received more yellow cards (14) than any other side at this World Cup.
  • Ivan Perisic has been involved in 10 goals at major tournaments (six goals and four assists), the joint-most by a Croat, level with Davor Suker (nine goals and one assist).
  • Luka Modric has created 16 chances at this World Cup, twice as many as any of his team-mates.

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