Turki vs Kroasia 0-1: Luka Modric Buka Kemenangan di Euro 2016
Turkey 0-1 Croatia: Luka Modric Ensures His Side Open Euro 2016 with Victory
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
KROASIA, kuda hitam abadi sepakbola Eropa, kerap mengejutkan lawan - tetapi mereka tidak tampil prima saat melawan Turki di Paris.
Banyak disebut tentang generasi emas di sepak bola Kroasia, yang dipimpin oleh bintang mapan seperti Luka Modric - pemenang pertandingan di sini, dan memperkirakan bahwa Euro 2016 dapat menjati tahun penting baginya, Kroasia maju sebagai di semi final pada 1996 dan 2008, Kroasia berpeluang menjadi juara.
Mereka menyukai Prancis, ketika Kroasia keluar sebagai juara ketiga di Piala Dunia di Prancis pada 1998, ketika Davor Suker menjadi pencetak gol terbanyak, dan Kroasia menunjukkan potensi juara ketika kembali di ibukota Prancis.
Namun mereka tidak memiliki modal ketika melawan tim Turki yang berjuang keras tetapi tidak memiliki pemain penting sebagai ujung tombak tim.
Mereka menang 1-0 tapi, sebenarnya, gol yang diciptakan lebih dari itu setelah tendangan ke pusat pertahanan dua kali membentur mistar gawang, seperti dilansir MailOnline.
CROATIA, the perennial dark horses of European football, are out of the stable and off the mark - but they did not hit top speed against Turkey in Paris.
There is talk of a golden generation in Croatian football, led by established stars like Luka Modric – the match-winner here, and it has been suggested that 2016 could be the year that these also-rans, quarter-finalists in 1996 and 2008, could even win the thing.
They like France too, having come third at the World Cup here in 1998, when Davor Suker was the tournament's top scorer, and they showed glimpses of their undoubted potential back in the French capital.
But they did not have it all their own way against a stubborn Turkey side who battled hard but lacked any real cutting edge.
They will take the 1-0 win but, in truth, it could have and should have been more from a match in which they hit the crossbar twice.
