An Ivan Perisic brace helped ensure Croatia begun their
FIFA World Cup preparations with a 2-1 win over Mali on Saturday.
Croatia, who will feature in the tournament's opener
against hosts Brazil on June 12, were not at their fluent best but showed
glimpses of their undoubted quality at the Stadion Gradski.
Perisic got Croatia's opener when he finished a clever
ball from Ivan Rakitic after 15 minutes and he wrapped up an impressive
performance with a second four minutes after the hour.
His close-range finish from Ivica Olic's knockdown helped
settle any Croat nerves but coach Niko Kovac will have been disappointed to see
Cheick Diarra take the shine off their performance - heading home from a corner
late on.
Former Croatia international Kovac will hope to see a
more complete display when his side take on fellow World Cup hopefuls Australia
next week.
Kovac opted to name Luka Modric and Nikica Jelavic on the
bench for the first of their pre-World Cup friendlies and they got off to a
strong start when Perisic fired home the opener early on.
With 15 minutes on the clock, the impressive Rakitic slid
through a well-executed pass for Perisic, who clipped the ball home with the
outside of his right foot.
Rakitic and Perisic almost combined again shortly
afterwards when the latter chipped over a ball for the onrushing Wolfsburg man,
only for it to be partially cleared.
Perisic almost got a second chance when Mahamadou N'Diaye
and Tongo Doumbia failed to properly deal with the delivery, but Soumbeila
Diakite was able to produce a stop.
The visitors began the second half well and caused the
Croat defence problems in the air but their opponents' speed and technical
quality was soon on show again.
Substitute Sime Vrsaljko saw a shot well saved after a
quick break and, after Olic had got his head on Rakitic's resulting corner,
Perisic was able to prod home the second.
Nouha Dicko flashed a strike just over the crossbar for
Mali before Kovac opted to withdraw Mario Mandzukic, Perisic and Rakitic.
Jelavic, Modric and Eduardo da Silva were also given
brief run-outs, with substitute Diarra's consolation proving Croatia's only low
point.
Culled from Soccerway
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