Nations League: Netherlands regrets, Croatia in final: extra time decisive

Nations League, Netherlands-Croatia 2-4 dts.

Croatia beats Final Four host Netherlands 4-2 after extra time and qualifies for the final of the third edition of the UEFA Nations League.

The Oranje were not enough to take an early lead, scored by Donyell Malen in the 34th minute, to steer the outcome of the match in their favor. In fact, the Croatians regrouped their ideas during halftime and turned the score around in the second half: in the 55th minute it was Andrej Kramaric, on a penalty kick, who signed the equalizer, while it was Atalanta’s Mario Pasalic, in the 73rd minute, who got past Bijlow for the 1-2. When it all seemed to be done, however, the Netherlands scored the equalizer in the 96th minute, with Noa Lang’s paw after a back-and-forth in the box that left Livakovic no chance.

Extra time, however, smiles on the white-and-white checkered national team, while the Netherlands fails to take advantage of the psychological boost of the goal scored in the extra time: Petkovic puts the Croatians back in the lead with a splendid conclusion from outside in the 98th minute, Modric on a penalty kick closes the accounts in the 116th minute. Also of note were a Pasalic crossbar on 2-3 and a goal disallowed to Petkovic for offside just before the triple whistle, testifying to Croatian dominance in extra time.

So it will be Croatia that will face the winner of Spain-Italy on Sunday at 8:45 p.m. (the second semifinal is scheduled for Thursday in Enschede). For the Netherlands, on the other hand, there will only be a chance to stand on the podium, in the final that will also be played on Sunday, but at 3 p.m.