Croatians Criticize Even After a Win, Calling it Torture. Manchester City Star Slammed

Substitute striker Ante Budimir decided the match's fate, capitalizing on a pinpoint pass from Josip Stanišić in the 54th minute to find the back of the net. For captain Luka Modrić, the game held additional significance as he marked his 200th appearance for the national team. However, the legendary midfielder didn't hide his dissatisfaction after the match: "We played with a lot of tension, and it showed."

Head coach Zlatko Dalić admitted after the final whistle that the match had taken a toll on him. "Honestly, I didn't expect such a difficult game. We didn't react well, which I attribute to the pressure, as we absolutely had to win. I'm not satisfied with our performance, especially our defensive phase," the Croatian boss critically stated.

"I congratulate my players, but I must also congratulate our opponents, who played organized and caused us a lot of problems. We played under pressure, we were in a difficult situation. Their long passes were destroying us; every second ball belonged to them. That's why I was angry, but in the end, it turned out well,"

The biggest price for the lackluster performance was paid by star center-back Joško Gvardiol, whom the coach pulled off the pitch at halftime. The Manchester City defender became the target of sharp criticism from local experts.

"I fault him because when he knows he's not in his best form, he doesn't stay back but pushes forward. The defensive phase is fundamental, and he's neither at the back nor at the front because he physically couldn't handle it," former Yugoslavia goalkeeper Tomislav Ivković didn't mince words in his analysis for HRT television.

Journalist Robert Matteoni from Sportske novosti echoed his sentiments: "It's clear he's not ready. He's too good to make such mistakes. Moreover, he doesn't look to be in good condition. He also lacks competition."

Gvardiol himself accepted his early exit to the locker room with humility. "I don't really know what to say. I didn't play very well, and it was probably a good coaching move to substitute me. The result confirmed it, which is positive. The three points are the most important thing, after all," the young defender responded.

If it weren't for Dominik Livaković, the Croatians might have left empty-handed. The 31-year-old goalkeeper once again proved his ability to elevate his performances to perfection in major tournaments. In the 68th minute, he made two phenomenal saves against Amir Murillo, and immediately from the subsequent corner kick, he reflexively pushed away a dangerous header from Carlos Harvey.

"Livaković is simply top-class. I don't understand how others don't consider him such a goalkeeper. For years, he's been performing miracles and delivering fantastic performances. He was among the main architects of all Croatian successes," Ivković praised the goalkeeper, recalling his heroic moments from past World Cups, where Croatia won bronze thanks to successful penalty shootouts against Japan and Brazil.

Journalists from Večernji list awarded him a high rating of 7.5 out of ten for his performance, writing: "Livi is the best. He delivered another great performance, miraculously neutralizing Harvey's header."

Despite securing three points, skepticism prevailed in Croatian media after the triumph over the Central American underdog. "A torment, but ultimately a great victory," the aforementioned Večernji list succinctly summarized.

Sportske novosti adopted an even sharper tone: "A big win in a small game. We have the planned number of points, which is good. But guys, if we continue like this, Ghana might send us home to Zagreb by plane."

Dalić's charges are currently in third place in Group L's provisional standings. They are just one point behind the leading duo, England and Ghana. It is against the African side that Croatia will face off in the final and decisive group stage match.

The math before it is clear – a win guarantees progression to the knockout stages, a draw de facto confirms it, and with a combination of other results, even a loss could be enough.