Croatia advanced to the final of the UEFA Nations League with a 4-2 victory over the Netherlands on Wednesday evening.
Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk captained the Dutch, who gave a first star to Lutsharel Geertruida, as Luka Modric continued in midfield alongside Marcelo Brozovic.
The Dutch were more adventurous earlier on with a ball over the top for Coady Gakpo, but the Reds man’s plight was scrapped.
Another telling supply this time from Van Dijk caught the Croations again and allocated Xavi Simons right at the near post though nothing came off the foray moments apart.
With the ascendancy, the Oranje hit the front four minutes from the half-hour mark when Donyell Malen finished off a delivery from Mats Wieffer.
Croatia’s fortunes turned ten minutes in the second half when Modric succumbed to a challenge from Gakpo in the box and a certain Andrej Kramaric tucked in the resultant penalty-kick.
The Oranje looked to restore the lead moments later through a first-time volley by Wieffer following a turnover, but he slammed over.
Dutch coach Ronald Koeman turned attention to the bench midway in the second half and introduced the first substitution, with Wout Weghorst replacing Simons.
However, the Croats pulled ahead with 20 minutes to go when Mario Pasalic slammed a cutback in the centre of the area into the bottom-corner.
Netherlands clawed themselves back in the last seconds after a set-play resulted in a loose ball and substitute Noa Lang was on hand to bundle in to send the match to extra-time.
The visitors did regain the lead five minutes into extra-time when Bruno Petkovic carved a yard of space outside the area and riffled in the bottom-corner.
Croatia could’ve bagged a fourth goal after a few moments through a snap shot from Pasalic in the area, but he hit the woodwork.
Nonetheless, the fourth goal did come four minutes to fulltime after a foul on Petkovic led to a penalty and Modric did the honours from 12-yards.
Croatia seemed to have snapped a fifth goal in the closing seconds through a smart execution from Petkovic in the area, but it was ruled out for offside as the visitors advanced to the final.
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