Portugal face classy Croatia challenge – Wales, N. Ireland offered chance of a lifetime

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LENS, France, June 24, (AFP): Cristiano Ronaldo awoke from his Euro 2016 slumber in time to rescue Portugal from an early exit, but faces a greater challenge against a classy Croatia side that Portugal coach Fernando Santos called “sharks”.

Ronaldo made history as the first player to score in four European Championships with a double in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Hungary. The result saw Portugal just squeeze through behind Iceland and Hungary in third-place in Group F.

The Real Madrid star has more records in his sights as he is just one goal behind French legend Michel Platini’s mark of nine in European Championship finals.

However, Ronaldo refused to accept Portugal were underdogs against a Croatia side that shocked two-time defending champions Spain to top Group D.

“We made it and now we face a very good team, but the odds are 50/50,” said Ronaldo.

“Croatia are a tough team, with good players. Not every team manages to beat Spain.

“We respect them, but we know our strengths and we’ll look them in the eye when we face them.”

Croatia are likely to be even stronger for Saturday’s clash in Lille (1900GMT) than against Spain with the return of Ronaldo’s Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric from injury.

Juventus frontman Mario Mandzukic is also likely to shake off a knock to retake his place after Croatia coach Ante Cacic made five changes for the historic win over Spain.

“Croatia are one of the sharks we had been trying to avoid,” admitted Portugal boss Santos.

“They placed first in a group with Spain, which tells you all you need to know about them.”

However, Santos has placed his faith in Ronaldo to again answer his country’s call after his double strike.

“This will have increased his confidence levels. He’s a confident player anyway, but this will have boosted him for the next game against Croatia.”

For Croatia a bright start to a tournament in France has rekindled memories of their fairytale run to the World Cup semi-finals in 1998 before losing out to the hosts 2-1.

Ivan Perisic was the hero against Spain, drilling home the winner three minutes from time.

However, Croatia cannot get carried away despite finding themselves in the weaker half of the draw avoiding Germany, France, Italy, Spain or England until the final.

“We made a really great job in the group stages, but this is just the beginning. If we lose the next match this doesn’t mean anything,” Perisic said.

“We have to stay at the same level and fight as we did in the first three matches if we want to recreate memories of 1998.”

The sour note for Croatia has come off the field as their football federation (HNS) was fined 100,000 euros ($113,000) for disturbances when fans threw flares onto the pitch during a 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic last week.

HNS president and hero of the 1998 World Cup run Davor Suker praised the security effort that ensured there were no problems in the stands against Spain.

However, he called for stricter controls on those allowed to enter the grounds in France to ensure there is no repeat of the Lens trouble.

“In any other country this would last one day. There are between 300 and 500 hooligans in Croatia that are listed, that cause problems in any place in Europe and came to Saint-Etienne. You have to stop them entering the ground.

“There was exceptional security (in the Spain match), there were no problems and exceptional fair play.

“Ninety nine point nine percent (of fans) are great, but there are 0.01 percent of radicals that want to destroy football and we have to stop them now because we have paid over one million euros in fines for nothing.”

Two small British nations clash for the momentous prize of a Euro 2016 quarter-final berth on Saturday when Gareth Bale’s Wales meet Northern Ireland in a post-Brexit clash in Paris.

Wales (population 3.1 million) and Northern Ireland (1.8 million) have never previously appeared at a European Championship finals, but they find themselves in the last 16 with the eyes of the continent upon them.

Having qualified above England as Group B winners following a brilliant 3-0 win over Russia, Wales enter the game as slight favourites and Bale admits that the team’s new status is still sinking in.

“We’ve come through a massive journey,” said the Real Madrid forward, who is the tournament’s joint top scorer with three goals.

“We’ve been in some bad places. We were 112th in the world and now we’re in the last 16 of the Euros. These are the days to enjoy.”

While the teams qualified in very different ways — Wales striding into the knockout phase as group winners, Northern Ireland squeezing through as the fourth of the four best third-placed teams — both had reason to thank their lucky stars for the serendipity of the draw.

With no previous major competition winners among the eight teams in the top half of the tournament, the odds on a team emulating Greece’s underdog triumph at Euro 2004 have shortened considerably.

The winners of Saturday’s game will play either Belgium or Hungary in Lille on July 1 and there is unlikely to be much trepidation in either the Welsh or Northern Ireland camp about that prospect.

Wales took four points from Belgium in qualifying and Northern Ireland did likewise to Hungary.

Indeed, both Bale and Northern Ireland striker Kyle Lafferty have expressed belief that their respective teams can go all the way.

The supporters of both sides have captured French hearts — Welsh fans charming locals in Bordeaux, Lens and Toulouse; Northern Ireland fans creating the soundtrack to the tournament with their ubiquitous ode to striker Will Grigg.

But while Paris will be awash with beer and British song on Saturday — as well as talk about the implications of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union — there is much separating the two squads.

Northern Ireland’s terrace darlings are Wigan Athletic striker Grigg, who has not even played at the tournament yet, and goalkeeper Michael McGovern, who spent last season fighting relegation from the Scottish Premiership with Hamilton Academical.

Wales manager Chris Coleman, on the other hand, can call upon Premier League quality in the shape of players like Aaron Ramsey, Ashley Williams and Joe Allen, while in Bale he possesses a potential player of the tournament.

“On form, Gareth Bale is arguably the best player here,” said Northern Ireland’s 36-year-old defender Aaron Hughes.

“A player of Bale’s calibre is important. But you cannot stop one player on a man-to-man basis. The whole shape of the team has to be right and it takes a big effort from everyone.”

Both countries have produced football greats, but Northern Ireland’s George Best and Wales’s Ryan Giggs were condemned to the same fate of shining for Manchester United but never gracing a major international tournament.

Wales hold the upper hand in the rivalry, having won 15 games and lost seven since Northern Ireland began playing as an independent nation in 1953.

They have gone eight encounters without defeat since a 1-0 loss in Cardiff in May 1980, although Coleman’s side required an 89th-minute penalty from Simon Church to rescue a 1-1 draw when the teams last met in March.

Both Coleman and his Northern Ireland counterpart Michael O’Neill have choices to make up front.

Hal Robson-Kanu, Wales’ match winner against Slovakia, is vying for a starting place with Sam Vokes, while Conor Washington has been preferred to Lafferty, top scorer in qualifying, in Northern Ireland’s last two games.

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