EURO 2012/ CROATIA, BIlic squad reins in the Italian stallion

© foto di Daniele Buffa/Image Sport

it wasn't easy for Croatia. They didn't impress in the first half, but Bilić made some tactical changes at half-time and it was a different story in the second period. He moved Ivan Rakitić into the middle and farmed striker Mario Mandžukić out to the right wing while Luka Modrić took up an attacking midfield position. With that 4-2-3-1 formation, Croatia were a different proposition, and Mandžukić's goal stopped Italy in their tracks. Croatia might even have snatched a winner.

"It was a superb match," concluded the coach. "We have four points after two matches – we would be happier to have six, but this is fair enough. I am sure that the whole of Croatia would have accepted a situation where we had four points going into the last game, and we are going into that game with a realistic chance of going through from a group like this. It's a phenomenal result."