Zlatko Dalić: “Heads up now and we fight for third place”

Zlatko Dalić (HRT/Screenshot)

Croatia will now play for bronze after losing to Argentina 3-0 in the semi-final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup tonight. 

After the match, coach Zlatko Dalić spoke to HRT. 

– First, congratulations to Argentina on the victory and for reaching the final. All we have to do is pull ourselves together, hold our heads up, and fight for third place, Dalić said before adding.

– We played well for half an hour, controlling possession. But then the right side, a counter, then we concede after a corner. Sometimes luck favours you, sometimes not. We don’t have much to complain about, let’s move on.

Penalty?

– As far as I understand, the boys protested that there was no corner given to us, we conceded a goal from that action. But what are we going to do, we can’t complain. I have nothing to blame the boys for, now we have to raise our heads and get ready for the game that awaits us.

What was not good in Croatia’s game?

– We had good situations, the ball went to the flanks, but we were not concrete in our attack. We lack a true, classic striker, to break through the flank, to have a better solution. We know what we are, what we are not and that’s it.

Vlašić and Oršić?

– We wanted to gain in depth on the left flank, create an overlap, be more vertical. But we conceded the third goal and it was difficult to come back. A deserved defeat. Brozović felt a muscle, I didn’t want to force it, but save him for the next match.

If someone had offered us this before the tournament, we would have accepted it. We are really proud.