England edge Croatia 2-1; Gvardiol under fire, Modrić applauded
Croatia lost 2-1 to England at Wembley, with Joško Gvardiol's mistake costly, but Luka Modrić received a standing ovation.
Illustration: AI-generated image
England beat Croatia 2-1 at Wembley in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday evening, with goals from Morgan Rogers and Harry Kane either side of Petar Sučić's equaliser.
Joško Gvardiol was singled out for criticism by English media after his mistake led to Rogers' opener in the 24th minute. The Guardian described it as a "personal catastrophe" for the defender, while the Evening Standard called his defensive reaction "catastrophic". TNT Sports noted that Gvardiol failed to clear a low cross from Jude Bellingham, allowing Rogers to score from close range.
Sučić, who made it 1-1 in the 59th minute, admitted Croatia could have defended better. "We conceded the goals too cheaply," he said, according to Index. "They didn't have to work hard to score."
Kane restored England's lead from the penalty spot in the 64th minute to secure the win, but the night also had a special moment for Croatia captain Luka Modrić. The 41-year-old received a standing ovation from the Wembley crowd when he came on in the 76th minute for his 207th international appearance.
Croatia now face Czech Republic in Osijek on Sunday in their final group match, needing a win to secure third place and a play-off spot for survival in the top tier of the Nations League.
