Croatia will look to build on the momentum earned from a perfect Group D campaign when they battle Christian Eriksen’s unbeaten Denmark in World Cup 2018’s round of 16.
Zlatko Dalic’s men won all three matches, including a 3-0 humiliation of Lionel Messi and Argentina, to reinforce their status as dark horses.
This will be tested by ‘Danish Dynamite’. They proved in the competition’s only goalless draw, against France, that the Croats cannot expect a walkover at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Sunday.
Here are the tactical battles:
THROUGH THE MIDDLE
Croatia’s main strength is hardly a secret.
Through Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Marcelo Brozovic, they will look to put a stranglehold on possession against the Danes. It is up to their opponents to break this hold.
Central to this will be head coach Aga Hareide’s deployment of Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen. The 22-year-old started at centre-back for the opening 1-0 victory against Peru and subsequent 1-1 draw with Australia, before moving up into defensive midfield to see things out during the goalless stalemate against France.
Christensen offers a superior passing ability from the back than replacement, Mathias Jorgensen. He also has the legs on 32-year-old Ajax anchor man Lasse Schone in the middle.
A repeat of the France trick could work wonders for the Danes.
ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE
Dalic can count himself a lucky man.
The ex-Al Ain tactician made nine changes when Group D wound up – and Croatia still earned a 2-1 victory against an Iceland side scrapping for survival.
Milan Badelj was utterly outstanding upon his World Cup debut. The 29-year-old, a coveted free agent now his deal at Fiorentina has run down, struck the crossbar, showed wonderful technique to volley in the 53rd-minute opener and made a leading five interceptions.
Food for thought, as Dalic decides whether to draft Brozovic back into the XI.
GET ON THE FRONT FOOT
Denmark have made their intention known that they intend to open up in the knockouts.
It is one thing saying this – and another delivering it.
The return of RB Leipzig forward Yussuf Poulsen – the match-winner against Peru – should add to the Danes’ threat. Otherwise, alternative options for boss Hareide are hard to spot.
Forward Kasper Dolberg endured teething problems during his sophomore campaign at Ajax and was handed only 16 minutes in the group stage. Middlesbrough’s Martin Braithwaite and FC Copenhagen’s Viktor Fischer haven’t fared much better.
Another method could be to go more direct with hulking Atalanta centre forward Andreas Cornelius preferred to Feyenoord’s Nicolai Jorgensen. The former’s average of 8.5 aerials duels won per match in Russia is six more than the latter.
This would provide a greater platform for Eriksen and Sione Pisto to latch onto knockdowns.