Austria 0-1 Croatia

AN EARLY Luka Modric penalty and some committed late defending proved enough for Croatia to beat co-hosts Austria and get their Euro 2008

Croatia were worth their win against a team placed 92nd in Fifa's world rankings.

Austria's disjointed efforts in the first hour betrayed a two-year lack of competitive action but they came to life in the latter stages.

In a rousing finale that had the 51,428 crowd roaring, the hosts laid siege to the Croatian area but through a combination of misplaced passes and desperate defending, they rarely threatened goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa, who was surprisingly named man of the match by Uefa.

The game had begun in a great atmosphere as Croatia's 20,000 fans outsung the home supporters, but the die was cast while they were all settling back into their seats after the anthems.

Ivica Olic was chasing a hopeful ball towards the byline when he was clumsily and unnecessarily brought down by Rene Aufhauser, allowing Modric – who will join Tottenham next season after the London club paid Dinamo Zagreb £16.5 million for his services – to convert from the spot with four minutes on the clock.

The goal immediately settled the Croatians, whose neat-passing midfielders began coolly knocking the ball around. Mladen Petric, unmarked in the area, should have doubled the lead late in the half after a deep cross from Vedran Corluka but blasted wide.

Croatia, who finished above England in qualifying thanks in part to the ten goals of injured striker Eduardo, could have done with his finishing yesterday as their dominance failed to produce the killer second goal. They began to sit deeper and deeper after the break as Austria came out looking much more positive and began to swing in some dangerous crosses.

The introduction of Umit Korkmaz on the left for the last 20 minutes added further bite to their attacks and they built an impressive momentum.

Fellow substitute Roman Kienast was within inches of becoming a national hero in injury time when he somehow dragged himself free of the wrestled attentions of the visiting defence only for his glanced header to trickle wide.

Both teams can take something from the game but Croatia will have to be more positive when they face Germany on Thursday, while the Austrians can ill afford to lose to Poland.

Austria: Macho, Prodl, Stranzl, Pogatetz, Aufhauser, Saumel (Vastic 61), Standfest, Gercaliu (Korkmaz 69), Ivanschitz, Harnik, Linz (Kienast 73). Subs not used: Manninger, Ozcan, Katzer, Garics, Patocka, Hiden, Fuchs, Leitgeb, Hoffer. Booked: Pogatetz, Saumel, Prodl.

Croatia: Pletikosa, Corluka, R Kovac, Simunic, Pranjic, Srna, N Kovac, Modric, Kranjcar (Knezevic 61), Olic (Vukojevic 82), Petric (Budan 72). Subs not used: Galinovic, Runje, Simic, Vejic, Rakitic, Pokrivac, Leko, Kalinic, Klasnic. Booked: R Kovac.

from http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Austria-01-Croatia-Croatia-off.4164071.jp