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Jubilant Croatians join world soccer's top eight
Penalty kick enough as Croatia eliminates Romania
Posted: Wednesday September 23, 1998 04:57 PM
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Bilic (right) and Croatia's improbable run continued with a 1-0 win over Romania Shaun Botterill/Allsport |
BORDEAUX, France (CNN/SI)
-- The fans wearing the unmistakable red-and-white checks were euphoric.
The coach ran out of words to express his joy. The young nation of Croatia had
achieved its greatest soccer success.
With Davor Suker's penalty kick goal in the stoppage time at the end of
the first half, debutant Croatia reached the final eight of the World Cup
with a 1-0 win over Romania.
"We have eliminated a team with a great tradition," Croatia coach Miroslav
Blazevic said. "Our players achieved a big goal.
"We're happy, happier, the happiest."
The victory for Croatia, the first newcomer to reach the quarterfinals
since East Germany in
1974, sets up an emotional clash with Germany on Saturday in Lyon.
Germany was one of the first countries to recognize Croatia's independence
in 1991. The two countries have already met once in the quarterfinals of a
major tournament, when the Germans won 2-1 en route to capturing the 1996
European Championship.
"We will do everything to get revenge," Blazevic said. "Let us not forget
that Germany is a friend of Croatia. There is no greater pleasure in sport
than beating a friend."
But not everythings was rosy. The winning score came off a disputed call
by Argentine referee Javier Castrilli, who whistled a foul on midfielder
Gabriel Popescu inside the penalty area. Popescu's legs had became
entangled with those of Aljosa Asanovic as they chased Dario Simic's pass
in the penalty area. Popescu protested with arms raised high, but to no
avail.
"The penalty was imaginary," Romanian defender Dan Petrescu said. "Or if
the referee wanted to give a penalty on that play, we should have gotten at
least one, if not two."
Then Suker had to take the kick twice. His first attempt was good, but
Castrilli ordered a repeat because Croatian players had run into the
penalty arc before the shot.
Suker stepped up again and whipped a left-footed drive into the same spot
-- the lower right corner of the net. Romanian goalkeeper Bogdan Stelea
guessed the right way, but the shot was too well-placed to save.
"The second penalty was really tough for me," said Suker, who has three
goals in the tournament. "My heart was beating."
Suker's cold-blooded finishing contrasted with that of his Real Madrid
teammate Predrag Mijatovic, whose missed penalty kick weighed heavily
Monday in Yugoslavia's
2-1 loss to Germany in the second round.
Romania, a quarterfinalist at the 1994 World Cup, was a shadow of its past
despite winning its qualifying group ahead of England.
Playmaker Gheorghe Hagi's most spectacular move was a wasted free kick in
the 41st minute, and he was substituted after halftime.
"Croatia deserved to win," said Anghel Iordanescu, whose five-year stint
as Romanian coach came to an end with the loss. He has signed a two-year
deal to coach Greece's national team.
"They played with more cohesion throughout and had more scoring chances,"
Iordanescu said. "Romania's quality of play was quite low."
Croatia used a disciplined counterattack strategy to dominate an often
mediocre game. Romania never seriously cracked the opposing defense,
leaving the Croats to unfold a one-touch passing game that occasionally
sparkled.
The Croatians kept Stelea busy from the opening whistle. The keeper denied
Suker from close range, leaped to push away Goran Vlaovic's long drive and
made a reflex save on Asanovic's shot -- all in the first 15 minutes.
Adrian Ilie had one of Romania's best chances when Popescu lifted a cross
toward the far post. Croatian keeper Drazen Ladic rushed out to block
Ilie's angle, forcing a weak shot.
Although Romania replaced two midfielders with strikers in the second
half, Croatia continued to create the better scoring chances. Romanian
defender Liviu Ciobotariu nearly had to tackle Zvonimir Boban to keep him
from converting Suker's cross in the 55th minute, and Stelea had to stop
two point-blank shots from substitute Petar Krpan in second-half injury
time.
Lineups
Romania:Bogdan Stelea; Dan Petrescu (Lucian Marinescu, 76th),
Gheoghe Popescu, Liviu Ciobotariu; Constantin Galca, Dorinel Munteanu,
Gheorghe Hagi (Gheorghe Craioveanu, 57th), Gabriel Popescu (Radu Niculescu,
61st), Iulian Filipescu; Viorel Moldovan, Adrian Ilie.
Croatia:Drazen Ladic; Igor Stimac, Slaven Bilic, Dario Simic,
Robert Jarni; Mario Stanic (Igor Tudo, 83rd), Zvonimir Boban, Krunoslav
Jurcic, Aljosa Asanovic; Goran Vlaovic (Petar Krpan, 77th), Davor Suker.
Referee:Javier Castrilli, Argentina.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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