The Azzurri’s next opponents in group B of the European Championships triumph with goals from Modric and Budimir: Milinkovic-Savic and Kostic protagonists in the White Eagles’ 3-0 win over Sweden
In the last friendly matches of the national teams ahead of Euro2024 there Croatia wins 2-1 at home Portugal: Modric opened the scoring with a penalty in the 8th minute, Diogo Jota responded in the 48th minute then Budimir scored the match goal in the 56th minute. Success also for the Serbia, 3-0 against Sweden thanks to Milinkovic-Savic, Mitrovic and Tadic. They finish 1-1 SSwitzerland-Austria and Slovenia-Bulgariawhile theHungary overwhelms 3-0 Israel: the Moldova beats Cyprus 3-2.
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PORTUGAL-CROATIA 1-2
Croatia is already ready for Euro2024, 2-1 strength away to Portugal in a friendly. In the first half the guests started strongly, and in the 8th minute they took the lead thanks to the penalty won by Kovacic and converted by the usual Modric. The Portuguese struggled to react, with an incredibly static maneuver, and took risks on numerous occasions on counterattacks from Kramaric and his teammates. Upon leaving the locker room, Martinez introduced Rafael Leao and Diogo Jota, and the music changed for the Portuguese: it was the Liverpool player who brought the match back into balance in the 48th minute, scoring after a good run by the other substitute Semedo. Leao sows panic on the left, but in the Portuguese’s best moment the Croatians strike again: in the 56th minute the former Sampdoria player Budimir heads the tap-in into the net after the crossbar of Atalanta’s Pasalic. Portugal tries in every way to equalize, but in the final minutes Dalic’s defense holds up and Livakovic raises the wall.
SWEDEN-SERBIA 0-3
Everything was easy for Serbia, who overwhelmed Sweden 3-0. The hosts immediately pressed hard, but a few minutes after the quarter of an hour the guests broke the deadlock thanks to former Lazio player Milinkovic-Savic. The yellow-blues start pushing the accelerator again, but at the end of the first half of the game the Serbs are ahead by a goal. In the second half, Stojkovic’s team spreads: on the hour mark, Al striker Hilal Mitrovic scores the second, and ten minutes later Juventus winger Filip Kostic sets up Dusan Tadic’s hat-trick. In the final, Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men try to make the deficit less burdensome, but Rajkovic takes the lead with some decisive saves.
SWITZERLAND-AUSTRIA 1-1
It all happens in the first half between Switzerland and Austria, the match ends 1-1. The guests broke the deadlock after five minutes of play, with Baumgartner’s goal following an assist from Kainz. The Swiss reacted practically immediately, but had to wait until the 26th minute for Widmer’s goal which brought the match back into balance. The hosts build something more in the second part of the first half, which however ends in a draw at 1-1. Upon returning to the field after the break, Ralf Rangnick’s team managed possession of the ball better, but scoring opportunities were lacking and the match ended tepidly at a draw.
THE OTHER MATCHES
The fate of Slovenia-Bulgaria was rather similar to that of Switzerland-Austria, with the 1-1 draw taking place within the first quarter of an hour of play: Despodov’s penalty in the 4th minute opened the proceedings, then in the 14th Sporar equalized for the hosts. Hungary closed the matter in a short time and scored a hat-trick against Israel in the space of twenty-two minutes: Sallai opened the scoring in the 11th minute, then Varga’s quick brace (19′ and 22′). Three goals also for Moldova, who however risked against Cyprus by winning 3-2: the home team’s advantage from Motpan (44′) was responded to in two minutes by Spoljaric (51′) and Pittas (53′), then the Moldovans they recover and turn it around with Stina (71′) and Bogaciuc (78′).
