EURO 2020 Full-time: Scotland 1-3 Croatia. Croatia thump Scotland to reach the last 16. Scotland’s honorable Euro campaign has reached its end. There was nothing hackneyed, cursed or ridiculous about this defeat, they were just left facing the pitiless reality that they were beaten by a better team. Nothing illustrated that point better than Croatia’s wonderful second goal, scored in sumptuous style by Modric, the player Scottish fans hope Billy Gilmour may one day become.
Before that Callum McGregor scored a pearler of his own to give Scotland brief hope. Scotland even missed a couple of decent chances after that before Croatia’s superiority was eventually reflected on the scoreboard. Croatia march on, finishing second in the group. Scotland exit, with their pride intact.
Scotland’s dream of making history by progressing at Euro 2020 came to a sobering end with a heart-breaking defeat by Croatia at Hampden.
With both sides knowing a win would grant passage to the last 16, Nikola Vlacic arrowed the World Cup finalists into an early lead to silence the national stadium in Glasgow.
However, a thundering drive just before half-time from Callum McGregor caused the 12,000 to explode in a cacophony of hope.
But Luka Modric’s sumptuous first-time shot after an hour broke Scotland just after the hour and Ivan Perisic glanced in a third from a corner to record Croatia’s first-ever win over the Scots.
The margin of victory was also enough to earn them second place in the group ahead of the Czech Republic on goals scored, with both those sides advancing to the last 16.
Source BBC News
