Key facts • The most consistent performers in a competitive Group E, Croatia qualified with a game to spare thanks to Russia’s defeat in Israel – news of which filtered through to the team halfway through their 2-0 defeat in F.Y.R. Macedonia.
• It was the only defeat suffered by Croatia during an impressive first campaign under former international defender Slaven Bilić.
• They began with a useful 0-0 draw in Russia and took off the next month with a 7-0 win against Andorra, Mladen Petrić’s four goals helping Croatia equal their previous record win,7-0 against Australia in 1998.
• Four days later, on 11 October 2006, Croatia got an even better result, 2-0 at home against England.
• Having scored against England, Brazilian-born striker Eduardo da Silva netted a hat-trick as Croatia won 4-3 in Israel in their next game.
• With ten goals overall, Eduardo finished as the second top scorer in qualifying behind Northern Ireland’s David Healy.
• Croatia saved the best for last, their 3-2 win against England at Wembley on 21 November 2007 confirming first place in the section and ending their hosts’ hopes of qualifying. “We are good – very good,” said Bilić.• Croatia have missed only one UEFA European Championship final tournament since independence, missing out on a trip to UEFA EURO 2000™.
• Up until the end of qualifying for UEFA EURO 2008™, Croatia had appeared in the UEFA European Championship on four occasions, and had played 47 matches. In that time, they had won 28, drawn eleven and lost eight with 86 goals scored and 38 conceded.
from: http://en.euro2008.uefa.com
Tags: Croatia national team wallpapers, Euro 2008, screensaver
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