Croatia vs Wales – Euro 2024 qualifier recap: Score, lineups, updates
Croatia #Croatia
Read how Sportsmail’s SAMUEL DRAPER covered the action in the live blog for the Euro 2024 qualifiers on Saturday night, including Croatia versus Wales and Spain versus Norway.
LIVE – last updated at 21:49
Thank you and goodnight 21:49, Samuel Draper
That’s it for tonight’s live blog after what finished as an exhilarating finale in Split. Spain and Romania won their qualifiers comfortably, but it’s Wales with the story of the night.
It may have only been a draw, but Nathan Broadhead scoring from close range deep into stoppage time on his debut for Wales is a fairytale in itself. They’ll enjoy this tonight. Then onto Latvia in midweek.
There’s more qualifiers to come tomorrow. Who will secure the late drama then? Keep an eye across Sportsmail for all the fallout from tonight’s fixtures, and tomorrow’s games as well.
The Euro 2024 qualifiers are well and truly underway.
But it is the travelling fans and players in Split with the story of the night. As everything was set up for Croatia to see out a 1-0 win to start the group, up pops Nathan Broadhead at the far post to score an equaliser which will feel like a million winners.
Elsewhere, Romania beat ten-man Andorra 2-0 in a qualifier played in Andorra la Vella.
And Fullkrug’s two goals were enough for Germany to win their friendly against Peru by the same scoreline.
21:42,
Croatia are going to rue not taking their chances.
21:42,
The goal was a long throw into the danger zone, which is nodded on to Broadhead, who is able to make a stab at it from close range to sneak it in at the back post. Pandemonium from the Wales fans and players as they celebrate the most unlikely of points.
FULL TIME CROATIA 1-1 WALES 21:40,
Wales steal a point at the death.
GOAL WALES – Nathan Broadhead 90+3′ 21:38,
Where did that come from??
FULL TIME SPAIN 3-0 NORWAY 21:37,
Spain get their Euro 2024 qualification campaign off to the perfect start.
21:36,
90′: Three additional minutes in Split. Croatia take a short free kick to kill some more vital seconds.
21:33,
90′: Four additional minutes in Spain’s match with Norway.
21:32,
86′: Five minutes plus stoppages left in Split for Rob Page’s Wales to try and find an equaliser against Croatia.
21:30,
Spain face Scotland next. Scotland won 3-0 earlier, so they’ll both be equal going into that contest on Tuesday, if nothing else changes in Malaga.
ANOTHER FOR SPAIN – JOSELU 85′ 21:28,
3-0 now!
Spain were relentless there. 1 minute 46 seconds between the goals. At 1-0, Norway had their chances. It’s all over now.
There’s a low shot, well saved, but the ball falls kindly to Joselu, and he buries it from six yards out.
GOAL SPAIN – Joselu 84′ 21:26,
That looks like the job wrapped up for the hosts in Malaga.
A beautifully placed ball across the box is nodded down by Joselu, and goes across Norway’s goalkeeper into the back of the net.
Joselu came off the bench barely minutes ago.
21:25,
83′: Spain have won every home European Championships qualifier since 2003 – and they have about eight minutes plus stoppages to hold on here. Norway running them very close to the wire.
21:24,
80′: HOW HAVE NORWAY NOT SCORED? A beautiful ball across the box, and Alexander Sorloth has a great opportunity, but he puts the ball just wide from the middle of the penalty box. Sorloth plays his club football for Real Sociedad, but he should have scored for Norway there.
21:22,
77′: Croatia making changes. Kovacic and Kramaric off. Pasalic and Vlasic on.
21:20,
So far only Romania have a second half goal to their credit, as we enter the last ten to 15 minutes across Europe.
21:18,
The goalscorer Olmo came off for Spain, replaced by Pino.
Norway made four changes – and will hope that one of those new faces will help to eliminate Spain’s 1-0 lead. Visitors in with a shout though.
21:15,
69′: Croatia still trying to find their way through the Wales side, and finding it difficult. Wales hoping the new bodies can help them break forward.
21:11,
64′: Wales make three changes, seeing Daniel Jones, Harry Wilson and Aaron Ramsey withdrawn.
Broadhead, Thomas and Burns on for the last 25 minutes.
RED CARD – Marc Rebes (Andorra) 21:08,
Andorra’s task at home to Romania has got tougher, after Marc Rebes was dismissed for a second yellow card offence.
The visitors 2-0 up in Andorra la Valla.
21:07,
60′: Glorious chance for Wales! The ball is played across the box and Fulham loanee Daniel James is in acres of space, but his shot is wide of the goal. He probably had time to control it. Still a decent shout for the visitors.
21:04,
Half an hour left in these ones. Nervous moments for some of Europe’s top nations.
21:01,
58′: Spain make their first changes, seeing Barcelona’s Gavi exit the stage with Iago Aspas.
Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos comes on, as does Real Sociedad man Mikel Oyarzebal.
20:59,
57′: Norway’s corner is well delivered, but Spain are able to clear the danger.
20:58,
52′ Livaja comes off injured. He’s replaced by Benfica’s Petar Musa.
GOAL ROMANIA – Denis Alibec 49′ 20:57,
Romania have doubled their advantage in Andorra la Valla. This one is by Denis Alibec.
20:56,
54′: Norway right in this one as they try to claw themselves back level with Spain.
20:56,
50′: Smart play from Croatia, as they pressed hard on the Wales goal. However, the final ball by Mateo Kovacic was blasted over the bar. Let off for Rob Page’s side.
20:54,
Germany’s friendly in Mainz is also in the second half now, Fullkrug’s brace for the hosts leading their charge against Peru.
20:51,
The second half in Andorra is also underway.
The Romania goal in that qualifier has now been assigned to Parma’s Dennis Man, not Alibec.
20:51,
The second half is underway in Split, as Croatia hold a 1-0 lead against Wales.
20:50,
47′: Norway win a free kick far out wide, but it’s punched away by Kepa, and then given as a free-kick to Spain for a foul.
20:47,
Back underway in Malaga, no changes for either side. Spain 1-0 Norway.
20:45,
Meanwhile, Spain are likely to be reveling in that start as the de la Fuente era gets started. Olmo’s goal just before the quarter of an hour mark is the only thing they have to show for it though. Can they extend their lead in Malaga?
Croatia had three times the number of passes of Wales in that first half, but they only have a one goal cushion going into the second 45 minutes. What can Rob Page do? Does he try and change, or does he stick with what’s unfolded so far?
And Germany’s friendly has also reached the halfway stage. Fullkrug’s double has given the hosts a comfortable lead in Mainz.
HALF TIME CROATIA 1-0 WALES 20:36,
The additional minute passes with little incident, to confirm the third 1-0 of the night at the break.
15 minutes to change things for six teams across Europe.
HALF TIME ANDORRA 0-1 ROMANIA 20:35,
20:35,
45′: Croatia have an opportunity from a wayward Wales ball, but Ivan Perisic blasts it far over the bar.
One additional minute in Split tacked onto the end of the half.
HALF TIME SPAIN 1-0 NORWAY 20:33,
Half time in Malaga.
20:33,
43′: Wales win a free-kick on the edge of the box. It’s a promising opportunity for Harry Wilson but he puts it over the bar.
20:31,
45′: One additional minute in Malaga.
20:28,
38′: Borna Sosa has come forward, and he gets the ball in the Wales penalty box, but his ball up is comfortably gathered by Ward. Still Croatia look most likely to strike next.
20:25,
Coming into the last five to ten minutes of the first half across Europe, Spain, Romania and Croatia all with one-goal advantages. Who will extend their lead? Who will be pegged back?
GOAL GERMANY – Niclas Fullkrug 33′ 20:24,
Germany lead Peru 2-0 in tonight’s friendly in Mainz, and it’s Fullkrug again. This time, he dispatched a great cross from Marius Wolf to double Germany’s advantage.
20:22,
This is the moment Andrej Kramaric scored for Croatia. A great shot that many teams might have struggled to deal with.
What can Wales do now?
Romania have taken the lead in Andorra through their striker Denis Albec just before the half hour mark.
GOAL CROATIA – Andrej Kramaric 28′ 20:17,
Croatia make the breakthrough in Split. 1899 Hoffenheim man Andrej Kramaric made a great shot which was impossible for Ward to do anything about.
A tough night for Wales has got even tougher.
20:16,
26′: Croatia play a clever free kick into the box, but it’s flagged for offside. Smart trap there from the Welsh defence. Think Croatia were hoping for something from that, but looked offisde at first glance.
20:15,
28′: Excellent chance for Norway with a drilled shot straight at goal, but Kepa has made an excellent save to take it wide. Very good from the Chelsea goalkeeper in his first national game for two and a half years.
20:12,
23′: Daniel James tries to lift the ball over the Croatian goalkeeper, but nothing comes of it and it’s comfortably gathered. A little bit of promise from the visitors though.
20:11,
25′: Chance for Spain as another ball comes across the box, but it’s too far out of reach for everyone and goes out for a Norway goal-kick.
20:05,
15′: Croatia come close again! Andrej Kramatic shoots from just outside the box, and it takes the outstretched fingers of Leicester’s Danny Ward to divert it wide.
20:03,
13′: It’s been a close contest in Split, but the hosts are having the better of the opportunities, and look most likely to score. Nothing to panic Rob Page yet though.
GOAL GERMANY – Niclas Fullkrug 12′ 20:02,
And Germany have got off to a positive start in their friendly against Peru, with Werder Bremen’s Niclas Fullkrug scoring for the hosts, converting Kai Havertz’s assist.
GOAL SPAIN – Dani Olmo 13′ 19:59,
First blood to the hosts in Malaga. The ball is played low across the box, and Olmo is in the perfect place to guide it home.
The perfect start for the new reign of Spain manager Luis de la Fuente
19:56,
No early goals in any of this evening’s games.
19:56,
6′: Croatia win the ball back on the left hand side, and it’s whipped in, but comes off a Wales defender for a corner, which then amounts to nothing.
19:52,
3′: Chance for Croatia within two and a half minutes, as Modric shoots low, and it’s parried away
19:50,
4′: Spain having the most of the ball in the opening few minutes as they try to size up the Norwegian opposition.
We’re under way in Split 19:49,
19:49,
The teams in Split pause for a moment’s reflection to remember some iconic figures that Croatian football has lost.
We’re underway in Malaga 19:46,
19:44,
Spain have made seven changes from the team eliminated at the World Cup back at the tail end of 2022.
19:41,
Teams coming out onto the pitch across Europe. Time for anthems – here’s hoping we avoid the chaos of Naples tonight!
19:40,
Meanwhile Norway haven’t been to a major tournament since Euro 2000, and Martin Odegaard and colleagues would love to get there to take Erling Haaland to the continental stage.
Ramsey’s ready in Split. Are you ready for it?
Norway and Spain will be well aware of Scotland’s confident Group A win over Cyprus this afternoon. It will take a lot of goals to take top spot after the first round of fixtures tonight.
15 minutes away from kick-off 19:30,
Who’s nervous?
19:29,
There will also be reports from Germany’s friendly in Mainz, as the Euro 2024 hosts take on Peru. They’ll be keen to put the disappointing World Cup group stage behind them, but as hosts of the European Championships, they don’t have to qualify.
19:26,
Luka Modric’s Croatia play Turkey next, and how much would the World Cup semi-finalists from December love to begin this tricky group with six points from six?
19:26,
Will the underdogs have their night tonight? It feels like the numbers are stacked against both Wales and Norway tonight, especially on the road, but it’s qualifiers, and with them all being crammed into 2023, it’s important for every team to start well.
19:23,
And here’s how the team at Nice – including former British cycling guru Dave Brailsford – were part of Aaron Ramsey’s decision to keep playing, when Bale and several other Wales stars quit.
19:09,
So the question will be, how can Wales do? They’ll be keen to start brightly, and this match tonight and Tuesday’s home game against Latvia are an opportunity for Rob Page to show what his new look Wales are all about.
However, they will have to contend without the help of Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson, who withdrew through a groin injury.
19:04,
Meanwhile in Andorra la Vella, Andorra are hosting Romania this evening. They’re in Group I, along with Switzerland, Belarus, Kosovo and Israel, who all played earlier.
19:02,
Meanwhile the visitors have selected the following 11: Nyland, Pedersen, Strandberg, Ostigard, Meling, Aursnes, Berg, Odegaard, Elyounoussi, Berge, Sorloth
18:59,
Meanwhile in Malaga, Group A sees Spain and Norway take on their first fixtures on the road to Germany next summer. Here’s how the hosts line up.
18:55,
Alongside Wales and Croatia in Group D are Latvia, Armenia and Turkey.
Turkey have taken the first points of the group with a 2-1 win in Armenia this evening.
In today’s other 5pm kick-offs, Israel and Kosovo fought out a 1-1 draw, while Switzerland put in a thumping win, scoring five without reply in Belarus.
18:45,
And this is the starting 11 for Rob Page’s visitors. Aaron Ramsey captains the side, after being encouraged to continue as a footballer with Nice.
18:43,
This is how Croatia line up for the game tonight against Wales, captained by their long-serving hero Luka Modric.
18:40,
Earlier today, Scotland made full use of home advantage to see off Cyprus 3-0.
18:39,
Also this evening, there’s further action as Spain try to put the disappointment of the World Cup behind them when they host Norway, who will have to find their goals without the help of master marksman Erling Haaland, who is out injured.
There is also Andorra’s game with Romania to content with as well. Those kick-off at the same time as the game in Croatia.
Hello and welcome to this evening’s live coverage 18:37,
Hello, and welcome to this evening’s live coverage, as the Euro 2024 qualifiers continue on full steam ahead.
Tonight sees Rob Page’s Wales try to turn a new page after the retirement of Gareth Bale. It’s not the simplest of starts, travelling to World Cup semi-finalists Croatia. That game takes place in Split at 7.45pm kick-off UK time.
Read more