Nevjerovatno: pobjedili Argentinu!!!

[Mirko]

BASEL - Srijeda, 1. ožujka 2006. godine datum je za rubriku vjerovali ili ne, Hrvatska je u Baselu pobijedila dvostrukog svjetskog prvaka, šokirala nogometnu Europu i ostavila izvrstan dojam. Nadigrali su hrvatski nogometaši u drugom dijelu utakmice i Lionela Messija i Hernana Crespa i Carlosa Teveza, a pogotkom Darija Šimica u 90. minuti ostvarili su jednu od najvrednijih pobjeda. Igrali su naši nogometaši srcano, pametno i osim male konfuzije na poèetku utakmice, potvrdili su da se mogu nositi i s glavnim favoritima Mundijala. Mnogi promatraèi na St. Jakob stadionu složili su se da Hrvatska ima vrlo ozbiljnu momcad i od sinoc su naše dionice na svjetskoj nogometnoj burzi neusporedivo skuplje...

Poèelo je kao u najboljim hollywoodskim filmovima, još se nije odvrtjela ni treca minuta, a Hrvatska je vec bila u vodstvu! Kranjcar je izveo slobodan udarac u maniri Roberta Prosineckog, oštar centaršut je padao u peterac, argentinski vratar nije najbolje reagirao, a Klasnic je odmah unovèio “poklon-bon” i pretvorio ga u pogodak.

No, onda je na scenu stupio Lionel Messi, nogometni “Mesija”. Na semaforu je pisalo da se igra 3.46 minuta, a Messi je kroz šuplju hrvatsku obranu prošao kao nož kroz putar, servirao loptu Tevezu, koji je s gol-crte ugurao loptu u gol - 1-1.

Dvije minute poslije hrvatski nogometaši i navijaci, kojih je bilo više nego Argentinaca, doživjeli su novi šok. Stjepan Tomas pogrešno je dodao loptu, Messi je proèitao njegovu namjeru, “presjekao” loptu i s ruba šesnaesterca poslao loptu u donji desni kut. Iz novinarske lože izgledalo je neobranjivo - 2-1.

Hrvatska obrana bez Roberta Kovaca, koji je odustao u posljednji cas zbog ozljede malog prsta na lijevoj nozi, nije se mogla suprotstaviti argentinskim nogometnim majstorima. Lionel Messi, Roman Riquelme i Carlos Tevez nekoliko su puta promiješali jednu od najboljih europskih obrana, a u 30. minuti Crespo samo slucajno nije poentirao. “Crna figura” u našoj obrani bio je Stjepan Tomas, ocito impresioniran argentinskim zvijezdama; lako su ga izbacili iz “sedla”. No, Kranjcar je brzo reagirao, umjesto indisponiranog Tomasa obranu je ucvrstio pouzdanim Tokiæem.

Hrvati su dvaput odgovorili ali, na žalost, bez rezultata. U 15. minuti Babic je izigrao svog cuvara, gurnuo loptu Prši, uslijedila je povratna lopta, ali vrlo dobri Klasnic nije uspio ponovno matirati Abbondanzierija. Bila je to dobra prilika. Prijetili smo i u 22. minuti, kada je Kranjcar odigrao odlicno dodavanje prema Prši, ali - promjene nije bilo.

U prvom dijelu utakmice dominantne figure bili su Lionel Messi i Carlos Tevez, ali i Niko Kranjèar i vrlo aktivni Luka Modriæ. Dinamov “playmaker” uopæe nije bio impresioniran argentinskim zvijezdama, potpuno je opravdao Kranjèarov poziv. Potvrdilo se da Modriæ i Kranjèar mogu zajedno, iako su treneri to uglavnom osporavali. Vrlo dobar bio je i Ivica Klasnic, napokon je i u reprezentaciji, protiv velikog suparnika, odigrao veliku partiju.

Drugo poluvrijeme pocelo je buðenjem Darija Srne. Dado Pršo probio je argentinski blok i servirao idealnu loptu na Srninu glavu, mat je bio neizbježan. Fantastièan dribling Prše i odlièna reakcija Srne “beštije” najavili su dominaciju hrvatske momèadi, koja je tijekom drugog poluvremena bila bolja momèad. I gledalište je osjetilo da su Hrvati “na štihu”, skandiralo se “hoæemo pobjedu”.

Vrhunac hrvatske dominacije dosegnut je u 67. minuti, kada je Kranjcar majstorski gurnuo Pršu u idealnu priliku. Na žalost, argentinski vratar ovaj je put bio bolje sreæe i spasio Argentinu od neugodnosti. Meðutim, apsolutnu dominaciju hrvatska momèad okrunila je u 90. minuti, kada je Dario Šimic matirao argentinskog vratara i podario hrvatskim navijacima veliko veselje...


Hrvatska - Argentina 3-2 (1-2)

Strijelci:1-0 Klasnic (3), 1-1 Tevez (4), 1-2 Messi (6), 2-2 Srna (52), 3-2 Šimiæ (90).

HRVATSKA: Pletikosa 6, Šimic 7.5, Tudor 7, Tomas 5 (od 46. Tokic 6.5), Srna 7, N. Kovac 6.5 (od 83. J. Leko -), Modriæ 7.5 (od 84. I. Leko -), Babic 6.5, Kranjcar 7 (od 90. Buljat -), Klasnic 7 (od 75. Oliæ -), Pršo 7.5 (Petric).

ARGENTINA: Abbondanzieri 5, Coloccini 5.5 (L. Gonzalez, 60), Burdisso 5.5, Samuel 5.5, Ponzio 5, Demichelis 6.5, Cambiasso 6, Messi 7.5, Riquelme 7, Tevez 6.5(Aimar), Crespo 5 (D. Milito).
Igrac utakmice: Dado Pršo.

[Mirko]

BASEL, Switzerland, Mar 1 (Reuters) - Croatia fought back from a goal down to upset fellow World Cup contenders Argentina 3-2 on Wednesday as the two sides got in some early shooting practice for the tournament in Germany.

Preparing for their fifth major tournament in six attempts, Zlatko Kranjcar's Croatia team enhanced their reputation as dark horses with a gutsy win over the twice world champions.

Taking the lead after just three minutes through striker Ivan Klasnic, Croatia found themselves 2-1 behind after another three minutes -- but turned things around again with second half goals from Darijo Srna and Dario Simic.

"We already showed in our qualifying campaign that we have some very good individual players and we have proven it again with this performance against one of the World Cup favourites," Kranjcar said.

"I know this will increase expectations back home, but I don't think that will cause us any problems -- in fact, I am sure it will give us even more confidence for the World Cup."

Argentina coach Jose Pekerman was understandably less euphoric about Wednesday's goal-fest, but insisted the result would have little bearing on his team's preparations.

"It's a bad result for the team but I think they can go on and get better and better," Pekerman told a news conference.

"I am always looking for a balance between defending and attacking and although it didn't work out tonight I am convinced of the strength of our defenders and believe that what happened tonight cannot happen again."


FIERY START

Perhaps motivated by the freezing conditions in Switzerland's St Jakob stadium, both sets of players made a fiery start.

Klasnic needed a little help for the opening goal, however, profiting from an early mix-up in the Argentine defence.

Coming out to deal with a cross from Niko Kranjcar, goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri managed to tangle with the feet of team mate Nicolas Burdisso, allowing Klasnic to rifle the loose ball into an empty net.

Croatia had little time to celebrate, however, with Argentina equalising and then taking the lead with only six minutes on the clock.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was at the heart of both goals, setting up Carlos Tevez for the first before grabbing the second for himself.

Already billed as one of the men to watch at the World Cup, the 18-year-old played a neat one-two with Juan Roman Riquelme on the right before firing in a shot for Tevez to poke across the line at the far post.

The ball looked as if it might even have gone in without the striker's intervention, but Messi did not have to wait long for his first international goal.

Pouncing on a poor back pass from Croatian defender Stjepan Tomas, the teenager curled an unstoppable left-footed strike past diving goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa to apparently hand control back to the South Americans.


CROATIAN FIGHT-BACK

Argentina certainly looked likeliest to score again as Messi, Riquelme, Tevez and Hernan Crespo, captaining Argentina for the first time in the absence of Juan Pablo Sorin, spent the remainder of the half probing gaps in the Croatian defence.

But their failure to score again proved costly in the second half when Kranjcar's men turned things around.

With 52 minutes gone, midfielder Darijo Srna put Croatia back on level terms when he headed in a perfectly-weighted cross from the left by Dado Prso.

It seemed as if that would be enough to give the Croats a noteworthy draw with both coaches using the rest of the second half to tinker around with their substitutes.

But with the match two minutes into injury time, defender Dario Simic got up for a vital corner and headed into the bottom right corner to earn his team their dramatic victory.

[Žele]

U BOJ U BOJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dado112233]

pobjedili Argentinu i pobjediti ce Brazil na svjetskom a izgubiti ce od Japana i Australije...

[Mirko]

Pogledao sam i Argentinske novine: kazu da su Hrvati bili bolji od Argentinaca.