The Croatian national football team defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in Prague in the first round of Group 3 of the elite tier of the Nations League. Slaven Bilić thus opened his second stint as Croatia manager with a victory, returning 14 years after his departure.
Croatia dominated the first half of the match. At half-time they had 60 per cent possession, nine shots on goal against none for the Czechs and two big chances. In the 42nd minute Mateo Kovačić carried the ball through the middle and found Petar Sučić, who came out one-on-one with goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček but failed to score.
Luka Modrić scored in the 47th minute, a goal that was his 30th in the national team shirt. The Czechs equalised in the 54th minute: Coufal delivered a long throw, Hložek broke down the right side and crossed, and Adam Karabec was left unmarked to score from close range for 1-1. In the 71st minute Hložek's move ended in a low cross for Radosta, who shot wide of the goal from seven or eight metres.
Bilić brought on Ante Budimir, Mario Pašalić and Marco Pašalić in the 64th minute for Matanović, Luka Sučić and Ivanović. In the 77th minute Perišić crossed from the left, and Marco Pašalić headed home for 2-1. Josip Mišić replaced Modrić in the 76th minute, returning to the Croatian national team after not playing for them since 2017. Budimir intercepted a pass from Sadilek, turned and shot from 12-13 metres, but Horníček saved his strike.
The Czechs hit the net through Matej Radosta in the 79th minute to make it 2-2, but VAR intervened and the goal was disallowed for offside in Adam Hložek at the start of the move. Vušković committed a foul on Hložek and received a yellow card. Vlašić came on for Petar Sučić, Sejk and Zmrzly for Slama and Šulc, and Šubert for Karabec. Kral and Radosta came on for Ambroš and Červ. Five minutes of stoppage time will be played.
This was Bilić's first match in charge of Croatia since he left the national team after the 2012 European Championship. Croatia travel to Spain on 29 September, host England at Rujevica on 3 October, and play Spain again at Poljud on 6 October.
