Croatia 1-1 France: Les Bleus Player Ratings as late Andrej Kramaric penalty snatches a draw for the hosts in a nail-biting contest | UEFA Nations League 2022
France and Croatia played out a thrilling 1-1 draw in their group stage match in the UEFA Nations League in Split on Monday, June 6.
The hosts suffered a 3-0 humbling at the hands of an Austrian side buoyed by the appointment of new coach Ralf Rangnick last time round. However, many household names like Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic did not feature in the game. That said, the Croatians were ready to test France in this game.
The visitors, on the other hand, lost 2-1 to a spirited Denmark in their previous game side despite being on the front foot for large periods. They looked to be more clinical in front of goal as they rued their missed chances from the previous outing. However, history was on their side as they had never lost to their opponents in eight previous encounters.
France will always have fond memories when playing Croatia. 🤩🏆
Croatia have not beaten France in eight attempts. Could that change tonight? 🤔 https://t.co/1yIPudJKdS
Croatia started strong, showing spirit and aggression as they pressed France back into their own half. They kept the ball for long spells and did well to advance it into dangerous areas. However, the visitors were no pushovers. They created early chances through Moussa Diaby, who was electric on the right wing.
Aurelien Tchouameni was lively in the middle of the park for the visitors as he drove forward with the ball. His counterpart Mateo Kovacic ran the game for Croatia as they continued to play with grit. Marcelo Brozovic, too, started well and controlled midfield.
France ended the first half with a flourish, earning multiple corners and putting Croatia under great pressure. However, the hosts did well to thwart their advances, holding them to a 0-0 scoreline entering the interval.
HALF-TIME: CROATIA 0-0 FRANCE
Frustration for the reigning world champions so far 😤 https://t.co/uLGOEaRK56
Croatia started the second half in similarly hard-tackling fashion to the first. They tried to force a few openings but were pegged back by a resolute French backline. They attempted to play crosses into the box from the right wing but none of those resulted in a clear-cut chance.
Adrien Rabiot opened the scoring in the 52nd minute with a sublime finish, having been played through by Wissam Ben Yedder. France made the most of a disorganized Croatian side as they sliced through their defenses with minimal passing. Rabiot started getting more involved, often cutting in from the wing to form passing combinations with his teammates.
Didier Deschamps made a double change around the hour-mark, bringing Boubacar Kamara and Antoine Griezmann into the game. France looked to increase their lead with fresh legs on the field as they pushed forward often. Griezmann came close to scoring midway through the second half but his shot was well saved by Dominik Livakovic.
There was late drama as Croatia broke through France's lines and made their way into the box. Substitutes from either side were involved as the visitors' Jonathan Clauss brought Andrej Kramaric down in the box. There were VAR checks for two possible offsides in the build-up, but a penalty was awarded as both instances were onside.
Andrej Kramaric levels it for Croatia from the penalty spot.
Croatia 1-1 France
#3Sports https://t.co/gTiWMvNmdM
Kramaric stepped up to take the resultant spot kick and cheekily paused just before he struck the ball. It sent Mike Maignan the wrong way as the French custodian shifted his weight early. The game was tied at 1-1 after 83 minutes, setting up an exciting finale.
Soon after, Griezmann found himself in a wonderful position to win the game for France. He could only muster a poorly struck shot that was off target after 'keeper Livakovic was way out of position. The excitement continued as Luka Sucic found himself in a great position to score in the dying embers. However, his shot was off target by a distance.
The game ended 1-1 as France and Croatia shared nearly equal amounts of possession, playing well in attack as well as defense.
That said, let's take a look at the visitors' player ratings from the game.
France Player Ratings
Mike Maignan - 7/10
Maignan carried his impressive club form into the game, looking composed between the sticks for France. He made four saves in the game, but was unfortunately committed to one side too early as he conceded a penalty.
Benjamin Pavard - 7/10
Pavard was active on the right flank and made several runs forward, offering his teammates width in attack. He won four of his five duels and played five accurate long balls from seven attempts.
William Saliba - 6.5/10
Saliba had a few nervy moments after a mixed performance last time out, losing balance and nearly losing possession a couple of times. He won three of his five duels and made three tackles.
Presnel Kimpembe - 6.5/10
Kimpembe was France's captain for the game and made a strong start to the game. He won four of his seven duels and made three clearances and two interceptions. He was also booked late in the game for a foul.
Lucas Digne - 7/10
Digne made a decent start to the game and was lively on the left flank. He made four tackles and won six of his seven duels.
Moussa Diaby - 6.5/10
Diaby was a menace right from the start and created chances for France early in the game. He played one accurate cross and two accurate long balls, passing the ball with 91% accuracy overall. Diaby also attempted two shots, one on target and the other blocked.
Aurelien Tchouameni - 7.5/10
Tchouameni dominated the central areas of the pitch as he was the talisman for France. He distributed the ball well and did well defensively, excelling in the box-to-box role. He won six of his nine duels, and passed the ball with 92% accuracy, including two accurate long balls.
He was taken off just after the hour mark.
Matteo Guendouzi - 7/10
Guendouzi carried his club's form into the tournament, starting the game well. He passed the ball with 95% accuracy, including four long balls with 100% accuracy. He also won six of his 10 duels, making three tackles.
Adrien Rabiot - 7.5/10
Rabiot looked a bit out of sorts as he made a slow start to the game on the left side of midfield. He made good runs but was not rewarded for his efforts. He scored with a delightful finish to make it 1-0 soon after the restart.
Christopher Nkunku - 7/10
Nkunku took some time to get into the thick of things. He was also involved in a come-together in which he came off much worse following a clattering challenge. He played one key pass and created one big chance but failed to impact the scoresheet.
Wissam Ben Yedder - 8/10
Ben Yedder looked sharp in attack, making useful runs behind the defense. He provided an assist for Rabiot to put France ahead early in the second period. He also won two of his six duels. He was substituted just after the hour mark.
Substitutes
Boubacar Kamara - 6.5/10
Kamara came on in the second half to replace Tchouameni and had a decent game. He completed 24 out of 25 attempted passes, including two accurate long balls at 96% accuracy overall.
Antoine Griezmann - 6.5/10
Griezmann came on in the second half and got into great positions. However, he missed a glorious chance to put France in the driver's seat with a miss late in the game. He missed two big scoring chances overall.
Jonathan Clauss - 4.5/10
Clauss came on in the 79th minute and conceded a penalty in the 80th minute as he jeopardized his team's efforts up to that point.