For Croatia, Third Place Hardly Third-Rate
PARIS — Croatia left its mark on the World Cup by finishing third in its debut. But its story isn’t over yet, because striker Davor Suker is in prime position to leave with the Golden Boot, awarded to the top goalscorer.
Suker scored his tournament-leading sixth goal in the 35th minute Saturday to break a tie and lift Croatia to a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in the bronze medal game at Parc des Princes. It might have been the last third-place game contested, because FIFA officials are considering suggestions to scrap it. But the Croatians were delighted to have medals to take home and literally jumped for joy during the ceremony.
“The last three days, we cried many tears. But we had to turn ourselves around and concentrate,” defender Igor Stimac said, referring to his team’s 2-1 semifinal loss to France on Wednesday.
Said Coach Miroslav Blazevic: “It was a very tough match for us, especially playing against a strong team, probably the strongest team in the world at this moment. It was very important for us to be third in the world. Our very small country has been able to show, with elegance, what it’s capable of. Hopefully, more people will learn of our country this way.”
The announced crowd of 45,500 was a mixture of cheerful, singing Dutch fans, a few Brazilians who started chants of “Bra-zeel!” in anticipation of today’s final against France, and a huge contingent of French fans who jeered at Croatian defender Slaven Bilic every time he touched the ball.
It was Bilic’s theatrical response to a slap from French defender Laurent Blanc on Wednesday that contributed to Blanc being suspended for today’s final, and the French fans evidently have not forgiven him.
But if they nursed a grudge against Bilic, they didn’t extend it to all of the Croatians. They applauded Robert Prosniecki’s goal, the first of the game, after a pass from Robert Jarni in the 13th minute. And they loved Suker’s goal, which finished a stunning passing play that began in Croatia’s end of the field and moved the ball quickly up to Aljosa Asanovic, then to Zvonimir Boban and finally to Suker. Inexplicably left alone, Suker sent a rolling shot into the lower-right corner of the net.
That put his team ahead and put Suker ahead of Italy’s Christian Vieri and Argentina’s Gabriel Batistuta, who each scored five goals. Only Brazil’s Ronaldo, who has four goals, has a realistic chance to catch Suker. “I don’t see how Ronaldo can score three goals in the final,” Blazevic said, “so I think Suker will be the best scorer.”
Croatian goalkeeper Drazen Ladic was beaten in the 21st minute after a nice run by Boudewijn Zenden and a left-footed shot that curved off Ladic’s hand. Otherwise, Ladic was perfect.
“It’s disappointing, because we were very keen to get third place,” Dutch Coach Guus Hiddink said. “The way we played is like how we played the whole tournament. We would say we were classed out by their classic counterattack. It’s a pity for us.”
But a triumph for Croatia.
