Croatia and Armenia draw in Euro warm-up in Velika Gorica

Croatia line up ahead of the match against Armenia (Photo Drago Sopta/HNS)

VELIKA GORICA, 1 June 2021 – Ivan Perišić has scored on his 100th appearance for Croatia in their 1-1 draw with Armenia in a friendly on Tuesday evening in Velika Gorica.

Croatia and Armenia met for the first time as one of two warm-up matches for the Vatreni ahead of Euro 2020. 

Coach Zlatko Dalić started the match with the team which will closely resemble the one which will take on England at Wembley Stadium in ten days time. 

Luka Modrić, Marcelo Brozović and Nikola Vlasić started in the midfield with Perišić and Josip Brekalo out wide. Andrej Kramarić was give the nod up front. 

With Dejan Lovren injured, Marseille’s Duje Ćaleta-Car and Domagoj Vida started as centre-backs with Šime Vrsaljko and Borna Barišić right and left back respectively. 

The match started as expected like a friendly with not too much intensity, but it would be Croatia who would take control early and open the scoring after 24 minutes. 

1-0

Modrić would take a corner on the right, and it would be Perišić who would rise highest to firmly head the ball into the back of the net. 

You can see the goal HERE.

Croatia and Perišić should have had a second ten or so minutes later but the Inter winger, on his weaker right foot, would miss an empty goal. 

Mario Pašalić, who came on for Brekalo, who picked up a knock to his foot early in the half, would hit the post with a spectacular scissor-kick in the dying moments of the first half. 

Dalić rung the changes in the second half, bringing on Bruno Petković, Mile Škorić, Ante Rebić, Milan Badelj and Josip Uranović for Vlašić, Vida, Vrsaljko, Perišić and Modrić. 

Rebić has a golden opportunity to score with his first touch of the game but his shot from just metres out went high over the bar. 

1-1

Croatia had a number of chances to extend their lead and were made to pay for not putting one away when Armenia would find an equaliser in the 71st minute when Wbeymar fired in past Livaković from 16 metres out.  

You can see the goal HERE.

Croatia could have reclaimed their lead minutes later, but Škorić could not find the target with a free header from two metres out. Livaković would then made a good save in the 78th minute to keep it at 1-1.

In the 83rd minute, Kramarić had a left-foot shot well saved as the home side could not find a way through. 

Croatia’s final friendly is against Belgium in Brussels on Sunday. 

Perišić joins the 100 club

Today was Perišić’s 100th cap for Croatia and he now joins the exclusive club. 

The 32-year-old from Omiš joins Modrić (136 caps), Darijo Srna (134), Stipe Pletikosa (114), Ivan Rakitić (106), Josip Šimunić (105), Ivica Olić (104), Vedran Ćorluka (103) and Dario Šimića (100). 

Perišić made his debut for Croatia on 26 March 2011 against Georgia in Tbilisi. Since then, he has played in two World Cups (2014 and 2018) and two Euros (2012 and 2016). He has scored 28 goals for his country.