Croatia 2-1 Slovenia: late proof of depth for Z. Dalić
Mario Pašalić scored in the third minute of stoppage time to give Croatia a 2-1 win over Slovenia in Varaždin, keeping Z. Dalić's World Cup tune-up on track. The finish, supplied by a Josip Stanišić pass, restored the lead after Andraž Šporar had levelled in the 83rd minute and ensured Luka Modrić’s likely farewell on home soil ended with victory.
Story of the match
Croatia lined up in a 4-2-3-1 with Modrić sharing the double pivot alongside Mateo Kovačić and Marco Pašalić linking play ahead of them. Possession was theirs from the start, yet the final touch was missing through a first half in which Ante Budimir and Andrej Kramarić saw half chances repelled by Jan Oblak. The only significant interruption arrived in the 16th minute when Matjaž Kek was forced to replace Žan Karničnik with Srđan Kuzmić, a reshuffle that nudged Slovenia into a more conservative 4-4-2 shape out of possession.
Dalić had scripted heavy rotation at the break and implemented it to the letter. Petar Sučić, Martin Baturina and Igor Matanović came on for Kovačić, Kramarić and Budimir, refreshing the press and increasing the tempo. The reward followed in the 51st minute when Modrić arrived to meet an Ivan Perišić pass and guided Croatia in front. It was his only shot on target. After Modrić made way for Mario Pašalić in the 58th minute, Dalić continued to turn to his bench, introducing Luka Sučić for Marco Pašalić and Nikola Vlašić for Perišić in the 65th.
Kek’s response was a triple change in the 64th minute, introducing David Brekalo, Aljoša Matko and Šporar. It tilted the game back their way. Slovenia’s 33 percent share of the ball scarcely reflected how often Šporar and Žan Vipotnik threatened in transition. Dominik Livaković had to make three saves and, when Šporar struck in the 83rd minute, the away section sensed an improbable draw.
Stanišić refused it. Already outstanding with four tackles and three interceptions, the Bayern defender kept raiding down the right. Deep into added time he again found space, picked out the substitute Mario Pašalić, and the midfielder converted the decisive second goal. Croatia had fired 22 shots by then, six on target, and the volume finally paid off.
Tactical view
Dalić’s midfield box is evolving. With Modrić orchestrating early phases and Marco Pašalić drifting inside, Croatia often constructed a 3-2-5 with Joško Gvardiol stepping high on the left. The half-time changes pushed Baturina between the lines and allowed Petar Sučić to hit diagonal passes that stretched Slovenia’s back line. Even after Modrić departed, the structure held because Mario Pašalić slotted into the left half-space, keeping Croatia in command of territory.
Slovenia’s 4-2-3-1 became a back five when Kuzmić dropped alongside Marcel Ratnik. Sandi Lovrić and Adam Gnezda Čerin did much of the screening, but the key adjustment came when Šporar replaced Vipotnik. He pressed the Croatian centre-backs more aggressively, disrupting the build-up that had previously flowed through Martin Erlić and Marin Pongračić. Kek will be encouraged by how quickly the bench impacted the press.
Neither side collected a card, but the contrast in fouls (11 committed by Slovenia, 5 by Croatia) underlined how often Kek’s team needed to break rhythm. Oblak’s four saves, allied to two blocks from Jaka Bijol before his 64th-minute withdrawal, kept Slovenia alive until the last attack.
Key numbers
- Possession: Croatia 67 percent, Slovenia 33 percent
- Shots: Croatia 22 (6 on target); Slovenia 13 (4 on target)
- Corners: Croatia 8, Slovenia 4
- Saves: Livaković 3, Oblak 4
What it means
Croatia maintain momentum heading into the England friendly later this week, with Dalić surely pleased that the second string delivered after Modrić exited in the 58th minute and Perišić followed seven minutes later. Mario Pašalić’s cameo and Stanišić’s all-action display strengthened their claims for bigger roles once the World Cup squad is finalised.
For Slovenia and Matjaž Kek the late concession stings, yet Šporar’s impact off the bench and the resilience shown after an early forced change reinforce belief ahead of their own qualifying commitments. More international analysis from this window is available via Morocco vs Norway, Greece vs Italy, and Ecuador vs Guatemala.
