Before they played Estonia last Saturday the sound from the Croatia camp
was one of caution. Four days and three points on, as Russia await, there
is caution again. However, lacing that feeling now is excitement, because
Croatia know that another victory would take them to 19 points with an
August double-header against Estonia at home and Andorra away to come.
"If we can get the win against Russia then this is a very good situation
for us, very good," said Aljosa Asanovic yesterday. Once of Derby
County in the mid-1990s, where he worked with Steve McClaren for 18 months,
Asanovic is now assistant to Croatia's coach, Slaven Bilic.
He did his best to conceal optimism yesterday but there are two good reasons
why Croatia approach tonight's possibly defining game with confidence:
the first was the 0-0 draw in Moscow last September, the second is Croatia's
home record - they have not lost a qualifier here in the 13 years since
the country became independent.
Asanovic scored the first Croatia goal in the first game post-independence.
That was a friendly, but the record in qualifiers has now reached 31 games.
"Our mentality when we play at home, this stadium is very important
for us," Asanovic said. "The ground will be full. It gives us
something else to hear the national anthem there, it is something special
for us - it's like Wembley for England."
But he found more relevance in the Moscow draw: a bright start for Croatia
and a bleak one for Russia. However, nine months on he recognises that
Guus Hiddink's team are a changed force.
"When we played in Moscow Russia were not in great form, but now
they are playing much better," he said. "They have an excellent
coach, Guus Hiddink. If he is not the best coach in the world he is one
of them. So for us it will be very difficult. Russia have so many talented
players. Andrey Arshavin, who plays for Zenit St Petersburg, he is not
big, tall, but he is fast with the ball, an excellent passer, a good organiser.
There is also Aleksandr Kerzhakov of Seville, a good, good striker."
Kerzhakov maintained his Spanish form with a hat-trick against Andorra
in St Petersburg on Saturday, although Hiddink was not entirely satisfied
with that 4-0 win. "Wasted chances" was his comment. "We
can't afford that against Croatia."
With two games against England to come, a Russia defeat would see them
and England fighting for second place in Group E. "The Croats have
been unbeatable at home for a long time," Hiddink added. "A
draw will be a good result."
Croatia (possible 4-4-2) Pletikosa; Simic, R Kovac, Simunic, Babic; Srna,
N Kovac, Modric, Kranjcar; Olic, Da Silva
Russia (possible 4-4-2) Malafeyev; V Berezutsky, Ignashevich, Anyukov,
A Berezutsky; Zyryanov, Zhirkov, Semshov, Bilyaletdinov; Arshavin, Kerzhakov
