A stunning goal from Luka Modric gave Croatia a 1-0 victory over Turkey in Paris as a full-blooded encounter kicked things off in Group D.
Ante Cacic’s side will, obviously, be delighted with the win but put in such a dominating showing they will rue not adding more goals to the scoreline with Ivan Perisic, Marcelo Brozovic and Darijo Srna all unlucky not to hit the back of the net.
The Turks, though, will need to go back to the drawing board before a tough second match with Spain, but may well draw positivity from youngster Emre Mor, who impressed in his cameo from the bench.
The opening stages in Paris were feisty and frenetic as the duo tussled for supremacy in with both sets of fans in full voice.
An early chance fell to Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic, while Ozan Tufan didn’t hold back when he scythed down Modric as the game continued to be played at a canter.
When the match finally began to shake down, it was Croatia who looked the most dangerous as Modric broke between the lines and Brozovic’s tireless work on the right started to provide in-roads before Mario Mandzukic saw a header blocked in the penalty area.
Turkey looked threatening from set-pieces, which was unsurprising given Hakan Calhanoglu’s pedigree, but Cacic’s organised side were able to repel the Crescent Stars and forced Selcuk Inan into an aimless long range pot shot.
Perisic and Brozovic were live wires with the latter drifting centrally to try and disrupt the Turkish backline, but Milan Badelj could only hit the ball straight at Volkan Babacan when a shooting chance appeared.
The Turks though, proved they could not be ruled out of the match as Gokhan Gonul’s excellent right-wing cross was headed on goal by Tufan, and Danijel Subasic just kept the ball in front of the line before claiming it on the deck.
Cenk Tosun received a caution on the half-hour mark as his elbow left former Tottenham star Vedran Corluka battered and bloodied, but he was able to return to the field with a bandage covering the wound.
Mandzukic, despite his diligent display off the ball, struggled with his shooting as he scuffed a shot at Babacan when well placed.
But, just when it looked like the game would enter the break goalless, Modric hit a stunning volley from 28 yards out which dipped beyond the dive of Babacan and into the net, sending the Croatian fans wild.
Terim looked to change the game at the break, taking off Oguzhan Ozyakup and replacing him with Fenerbahce star Volkan Sen, who nearly made an immediate impact with a shot on goal.
Hakan Balta, though, saw yellow as Turkey’s discipline let them down again, while another foul saw Darijo Srna hit the bar from a free-kick with Babacan stationary.
And the Croatia captain then had a great chance to double their lead as Babacan parried a Perisic cross, but he fired wide on his left foot with the goal gaping.
Unquenched by his stunning goal, Modric continued to run the match from the middle of the park, twisting, swivelling and bamboozling the Turkish players who attempted to trail him, gliding forward with ease before slipping the ball to a team-mate.
Brozovic was next Croat to go close and his excellent volley whistled just over the crossbar as Turkey remained rattled and unable to get a foothold in the match.
Striker Burak Yilmaz and new Borussia Dortmund signing Emre Mor entered the fray, with the latter becoming the Turks’ youngest ever player at a European Championship.
As they tried to turn it around, though, the Croatians again nearly grabbed a second with the bright Brozovic just unable to turn Perisic’s excellent cross into the goal.
The woodwork was left rattling again when Perisic nodded onto the bar with the second goal evading Cacic’s men.
A breathtaking piece of skill from youngster Mor saw Sen draw a foul, and a caution, from Ivan Strinic, but the free-kick was hit straight at the goalkeeper by Caner Erkin.
But even as Turkey pushed for a leveller, Croatia were able to hold on to victory in Paris and claim all three points.
Read more at http://talksport.com/football/euro-2016-turkey-0-1-croatia-luka-modrics-stunning-volley-wins-it-paris-160612199356#1k4xrRvwqYGLsC00.99
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