Football

Croatia holds Belgium to 1-1 in World Cup qualifier

12.09.2012 u 02:15

Bionic
Reading

Belgium was held to 1-1 by visiting Croatia in World Cup Group A qualifier in Brussels, at the King Baudouin stadium on Tuesday evening.

Both teams started aggressively, looking to continue their campaigns with a second straight win.

Ivan Perisic put Croatia ahead in the sixth minute, capitalizing with a low shot from inside the area on a defensive mistake by Manchester City's Vincent Kompany who failed to clear Mario Mandzukic's cross.

The home side recovered from conceding an early goal and equalised in injury time as Anderlecht’s Guillaume Gillet, the only home starter still playing for a Belgian club, volleyed in a loose ball from a half-cleared corner in the final action of the first half.

In the second half Belgium produced more oft he game but could not turn it into goals. The home side’s best chance came in the 51st minute when Christian Benteke’s close-range shot was cleared off the goal line by Josip Simunic.

Belgium had talked before the match of shutting down Croatia’s Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, but it was wingers Dario Srna and Perisic and the omnipresent Mandzukic in the middle who threatened most.

The result ensured both sides maintained their unbeaten starts but Belgium may be the more disappointed after failing to make the most of opportunities.

 

Belgium: Courtois, Guillaume Gillet, Vermaelen, Kompany, Vertonghen, Defour (Fellaini 67), Witsel, Mertens (Mirallas 81), Hazard, Benteke, Dembele (De Bruyne 72). Subs not used: Mignolet, Alderweireld, Van Buyten, De Camargo, Lombaerts, Lukaku, Simons, Pocognoli, Jean-Francois Gillet.

Croatia: Pletikosa, Strinic, Vida, Simunic, Schildenfeld, Radosevic (Vukojevic 78), Modric, Srna, Perisic, Mandzukic (Kalinic 88), Jelavic (Olic 59). Subs not used: Kelava, Corluka, Pamic, Rakitic, Ilicevic, Vukusic, Kranjcar, Eduardo, Subasic.

Scorers: Perisic (6), Gillet (45)

Attendance: 43,000