Croatia 0-1 Scotland
World Cup 2014 Qualifiers
Group Stages
Fri 7th June 2013
20:15 (19:15 UK)
Maksimir Stadion, Zagreb (A)
Att: 25,016
Referee: David Fernandez Borbalan (Spain)
Snodgrass(26)
A McGregor
A Hutton
S Whittaker
G Hanley
R Martin
S Maloney (C Conway 75)
J Morrison(C)
J McArthur
R Snodgrass
B Bannan (S Naismith 63)
L Griffiths (J Rhodes 64)
Manager:
Gordon Strachan
FIFA Ranking: 74
S Pletikosa
I Strinic (N Kalinic 70)
J Simunic
D Srna(C)
G Schildenfeld
I Perisic (Eduardo 55)
I Rakitic
M Kovacic
Sammir
M Mandzukic (N Kranjcar 87)
I Olic
Manager:
Igor Stimac
FIFA Ranking: 4
Key: Goals Assists Missed Penalty Red Card
| 1 | Allan McGregor (Besiktas) |  |
(29 Caps) | Age: 31 | |
| 2 | Alan Hutton (Real Mallorca) | (32 Caps) | Age: 28 | ||
| 3 | Steven Whittaker (Norwich City) | |
(18 Caps) | Age: 28 | |
| 4 | Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers) | (7 Caps) | Age: 21 | ||
| 5 | Russell Martin (Norwich City) | (5 Caps) | Age: 27 | ||
| 6 | Shaun Maloney (Wigan Athletic) | (28 Caps) | Age: 30 | ||
| 7 | James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion) Captain | (27 Caps) | Age: 27 | ||
| 8 | James McArthur (Wigan Athletic) | |
(12 Caps) | Age: 25 | |
| 9 | Leigh Griffiths (Hibernian) | (2 Caps) | Age: 22 | ||
| 10 | Robert Snodgrass (Norwich City) |
 |
(10 Caps) | Age: 25 | |
| 11 | Barry Bannan (Aston Villa) | (12 Caps) | Age: 23 | ||
| 13 | Craig Conway (Cardiff City) | (4 Caps) | Age: 28 | ||
| (Replaced Shaun Maloney 75 min) | |||||
| 14 | Steven Naismith (Everton) | (22 Caps) | Age: 26 | ||
| (Replaced Barry Bannan 63 min) | |||||
| 16 | Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn Rovers) | (9 Caps) | Age: 23 | ||
| (Replaced Leigh Griffiths 63 min) | |||||
Yellow Card  Red Card  Double Booking Goals Scored Assist  Penalty Save |
|||||
14 Steven Naismith
World Cup 2014 Qualifiers
Group Stages
Fri 7th June 2013
20:15 (19:15 UK)
Maksimir Stadion, Zagreb (A)
Att: 25,016
Referee: David Fernandez Borbalan (Spain)
World Cup 2014 Qualifiers
Group Stages
Fri 7th June 2013
20:15 (19:15 UK)
Maksimir Stadion, Zagreb (A)
Att: 25,016
Referee: David Fernandez Borbalan (Spain)
In the build up to the qualifier in Zagreb, Scotland had 6 players drop out the squad. There was also some disrespectful remarks coming from the Croatian camp such as "You will not cross the halfway line" as stated by Igor Stimac, the Croatian manager. With Croatia being ranked 4th in the world to Scotland's 74th, some people may have agreed.
In the early stages Scotland kept good possession of the ball and Croatia failed to trouble the Scotland defence. In the 26th minute the unthinkable happened and Scotland took the lead. Maloney picked up the ball inside the Croatian half and made a burst forward, before the ball takes a deflection off a defender to fall in front of Snodgrass, who stretches out to volley the ball into the back of the net. Just before half time the Scotland defence was opened up but a Srna shot was cleared off the line by Russell Martin, and Scotland went in at half time worthy leaders. Just before the hour mark, Bannan shot wide from the edge of the box. A few minutes later Croatia should have equalised when Olic crosses in from the left and Mandzukic slides in at the back post and slices the ball inches wide when it looked easier to score. Croatia pushed forward in the closing stages, but the Scotland defence was solid and held on for Scotland's greatest victory since France in Paris in 2007.