Win against Italy in play-offs

Croatia U-17 reaches World Cup: "A top performance"

19.05.2015.

Croatia U-17 faced Italy in the World Cup play-offs at the European Championships in Bulgaria, with captain Nikola Moro scoring the decisive goal.

U-17: CROATIA - ITALY 1:0 (1:0)
European Championships, World Cup play-offs.
Sozopol, Bulgaria.

Referee: M. Kristoffersen (Denmark)

Goalscorers: 1:0 - Moro (15')

Yellow cards: El Hilali (50'), Mazzocchi (55'), Scamacca (62'), Lovren (74'), Cutrone (79')

Croatia: Šemper, Hudećek, Sosa, Kalaica, Soldo, Gjira (60' Halilović), Brekalo, Đurasek (80+2' Zenko), Moro, Lovren, Blečić (65' Babić). Head coach: D. Bašić.

Italy: Donnarumma, Scalera, Giraudo, Mattioli, Llamas, Melegoni, Locatelli (10' Degl'Innocenti, 68' Matarese), El Hilali, Lo Faso (46' Scamacca), Cutrone, Mazzocchi. Head coach: B. Tedino

Foto: UEFA / Sportsfile

Croatia U-17 will play at the FIFA World Cup in Chile this autumn as one of the six European representatives. Dario Bašić's men have defeated Italy 1:0 in the EURO 2015 play-offs and fulfilled one of their goals in Bulgaria.

Foto: UEFA / Sportsfile

The decisive moment happened in 15th minute, when Croatia captain Nikola Moro found the young Azzurri net. Even though both teams had the opportunities to score, the final result did not change.

FIFA World Cup in Chile is scheduled from 17 October to 8 November 2015, with 24 teams in total taking part.

"It was not easy. Italy is always a tricky opponent, who beat us in the last two matches. Under that pressure, and the pressure of the quarterfinal loss to Belgium when we were the better team, it was difficult to get bet into rhythm. However, our boys put in a top performance. We could have won more convincingly, Italy was tough, but we had the best answer to all of their attacks. I am overjoyed and can only congratulate my players, their club coaches and their parents who came here. We have all sacrificed a lot to achieve the result of a generation", said Croatia head coach Dario Bašić.

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