Ukraine and Croatia battled out a 2-2 draw in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
The
Croats took an early lead at the Maksimir Stadium after just two
minutes through Mladen Petric, who tapped in a rebound off goalkeeper
Andriy Pyatov. Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko restored parity within 11
minutes but was later substituted after picking up an injury. Soon
after the interval Shakhtar Donetsk’s Oleksiy Gai put Ukraine ahead,
when Sergiy Nazarenko crossed the ball to the near post for Oleksiy to
head home under the bar. However, Tottenham's Modric brought his side
back on level terms, driving into the penalty box from the left before
clipping in a low cross which deflected off Dmitry Chigrinsky and
looped into the net. The hosts kept on pressing in the closing stages
but were unlucky to see Petric and Modric hit the frame of the goal.
The
result leaves Croatia second in Group 6 with 11 points after six games,
seven points behind England. Ukraine, meanwhile, is in fourth spot with
eight points from five games. The nine European group winners qualify
and the top eight second-place teams advance to playoffs.
Croatia – Ukraine – 2:2 (1:1).
Croatia: Runje, Srna, Simunic, Kovac, Corluka, Pranjic, Juric (Leko, 46), Rakitic (Vukojevic, 46), Modric, Petric, Olic (Mandzukic, 61).
Ukraine: Pyatov,
Mandzyuk, Kucher, Chygrynskyy, Shevchuk, Tymoschuk (Rusol, 88), Gai,
Rotan, Nazarenko (Kalynychenko, 76), Shevchenko (Seleznyov, 23),
Milevskyy.
Goals: Petric (2), Modric (68) – Shevchenko (13), Gai (54).
Yellow cards: Srna (72), Leko (82) – Seleznyov (23), Nazarenko (59), Mandzyuk (80), Kucher (90+1).
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