Friendlies 2024, Italy’s opponents: Portugal-Croatia 1-2 without Ronaldo and Spain-Northern Ireland 5-1

here’s the full report shortly…

Croatia immediately took the lead thanks to the penalty scored by Modric: foul by Vitinha on Kovacic. The Vatreni also came close to making it 2-0, but Diogo Costa said no first to Mejer, then to Kramaric. There is also Budimir who taps in with his head, but doesn’t find the target.

Portugal non-existent in the first half, but in the second half they immediately found the equalizer with Diogo Jota (who came on for Ramos) on Semedo’s incursion into the area. Croatia, however, doesn’t take long to find the new advantage: Pasalic hits the crossbar with a right-footed shot from outside and Costa deflects it, but Budimir arrives and heads it to make it 2-1. Then Portugal forced themselves with opportunities from Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias, but no one managed to overcome Livakovic. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo remains on the bench and Croatia even comes close to making it 3-1 with Sucic closed out at the last minute by Diogo Costa. Last chance for Ruben Dias who shoots from the center of the area, but he is central and saves Livakovic.

Portugal-Croatia 1-2 (0-1 first half)

PORTUGAL (4-3-3): Diogo Costa; Dalot (46′ Semedo), Rúben Dias, Inácio, Nuno Mendes (46′ João Cancelo); Bruno Fernandes (46′ Pedro Neto), Palhinha, Vitinha (84′ Matheus Nunes); Bernardo Silva, Gonçalo Ramos (46′ Diogo Jota), João Félix (46′ Leão). Coach: Roberto Martinez

CROATIA (4-3-3): Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Gvardiol; Modric (54′ Sucic), Brozovic (75′ Ivanusec), Kovacic (75′ Vlasic); Majer (54′ Pasalic), Budimir (67′ B.Petkovic), Kramaric (54′ Perisic). Coach: Zlatko Dalic

Markers: 8′ pen. Modric (C); 48′ Diogo Jota (P); 56′ Budimir (C)

Referee: Harm Osmers (Germany)

Warned: 40′ Budimir, 59′ Brozovic, 77′ João Cancelo, 90+1 Ivanusec

Spain-Northern Ireland 5-1 (4-1 first half)

SPAIN (4-3-3): Unai Simón; Jesús Navas (46′ Carvajal), Le Normand, Nacho Fernández (52′ Laporte), Cucurella (46′ Grimaldo); Pedri (61′ Merino), Rodri Hernández, Fabián Ruiz; Yamal (72′ Joselu), Morata (52′ Mikel Oyarzabal), Nico Williams. Coach: Luis de la Fuente

NORTHERN IRELAND (3-5-2): Peacock-Farrell; Ballard, J.Evans, Toal (46′ Thompson); Hume (77′ Spencer), Bradley (66′ McCausland), Chales, Boyd-Munce (46′ C.Evans), Lewis; Reid (66′ Taylor), Price (83′ McMenamim). Coach: Michael O’Neill

Markers: 2′ Ballard (N); 12′ and 29′ Pedri (S), 18′ Morata (S), 35′ Fabián Ruiz (S), 60′ Mikel Oyarzabal (S)

Referee: Bastien Dechepy (France)

Warned: 5′ Le Normand, 65′ Price