We are praising Croatia for their quality but there was an element of luck with the Manzukic goal. Perisic, with his back to goal threw his head at the ball and back nodded it. The trajection he managed to get with it back across the goal between two defenders and to sit up perfectly for Manzukic, who I should add two seconds previous was looking at his boots, was extraordinary. Manzukic Looked up and there it was. On a plate! Great finish I know but I have some sympathy with Stones et all.
Croatia could try that another hundred times and the ball wouldn't fall on the path it did!
We are praising Croatia for their quality but there was an element of luck with the Manzukic goal. Perisic, with his back to goal threw his head at the ball and back nodded it. The trajection he managed to get with it back across the goal between two defenders and to sit up perfectly for Manzukic, who I should add two seconds previous was looking at his boots, was extraordinary. Manzukic Looked up and there it was. On a plate! Great finish I know but I have some sympathy with Stones et all.
Croatia could try that another hundred times and the ball wouldn't fall on the path it did!
My dad pointed that to me when we watched the rerun of the game just now. It was very interesting. I really wish Walker had cleared the ball though !!!!!!
Kane had a 60% chance of scoring from that double effort against Croatia according to the xG boffins.
In isolation, he had a 47% chance of scoring from the first shot and 25% chance from the second shot. Those percentages combine to make 60% overall rather than the simple 72% you'd get from adding them together.
Had he scored, England would've had a 92% chance of making it to the World Cup final from 2-0 up.
A side point - Lovren could have been give 5 yellow cards in the first half. Ref let him get away with a lot. Got the distinct impression he wasn't keep on booking anyone first half to not ruin the game. Not that it matters
Comments
Perisic, with his back to goal threw his head at the ball and back nodded it. The trajection he managed to get with it back across the goal between two defenders and to sit up perfectly for Manzukic, who I should add two seconds previous was looking at his boots, was extraordinary.
Manzukic Looked up and there it was. On a plate! Great finish I know but I have some sympathy with Stones et all.
Croatia could try that another hundred times and the ball wouldn't fall on the path it did!
Kane had a 60% chance of scoring from that double effort against Croatia according to the xG boffins.
In isolation, he had a 47% chance of scoring from the first shot and 25% chance from the second shot. Those percentages combine to make 60% overall rather than the simple 72% you'd get from adding them together.
Had he scored, England would've had a 92% chance of making it to the World Cup final from 2-0 up.