In the first round of the second round of Group B, Croatia and Albania started a fierce battle. Both teams suffered defeat in the first round, this battle is undoubtedly a battle of life and death, out of the line of hope in this battle. Croatia's "Legion of Grid" strength is obviously better, just bad luck, today's battle is expected to reverse the decline; while Albania in the past four games lost three European tournaments, Croatia is the first opportunity to grab. Look for a split, with Croatia expected to win. (Now 618 is live on Wednesday night at 9pm!)
Croatia's 0-3 defeat against Spain in the first round was truly frustrating. The Balkan powerhouse has a track record of producing good results on the international stage, finishing second and third in the last two tournaments. Last year, they also reached the final of the European Union tournament, only to meet their Waterloo. In fact, their performance in the match was not bad at all, with five more shots on goal than Spain and even a 12-yard penalty kick. Unfortunately, Nubel Kovic's shot was parried and he missed the chance.
However, Croatia has a solid foundation. Core players such as Modi Ricci, Govacic and Gavadol are trustworthy. More importantly, they are good at dealing with big games. Despite the defeat, they have not lost their confidence. I believe that after adjustments, they will be able to return to their best form.
Albania took the lead at one point in the game, thanks largely to a missed out-of-bounds kick by the opposition at Gaudimarco. However, the Italian army scored two goals in the next 16 minutes to take the lead. Had it not been for a succession of mistakes by the opposition, Albania might have lost only 1-2. Albania's offense was not conservative, and in this match, their back line was exposed several times. Croatia capitalized on their chances, which certainly boosted the home team's confidence.
