Champions top group but fail to impress

Spain had some anxious moments, but, in the end, their qualification was rarely in doubt.

They topped Group C having conceded one goal in three games, while scoring six, dominating each of their three games in terms of passing and possession statistics. But they are certainly not the vibrant, seemingly unstoppable force of four years ago.

The doubt, as so often, is their cutting edge. Arsene Wenger spoke of Barcelona and their “sterile domination” and to an extent Spain were content last night to pursue exactly that policy. A draw was all they needed to progress and, essentially, if they could keep the ball away from Croatia, that was what they would achieve.

So, perhaps the lack of urgency in their play was understandable but, still, there was a punchlessness that makes them vulnerable. Croatia didn’t score, but they very easily could have done.

Inevitably the focus comes back to Fernando Torres, as it always will until he has a season in which he scores 30 goals including a handful in high-profile games. His every appearance now feels like a new Woody Allen film: everybody wants to claim he’s back on form and, for a couple of minutes, it might even seem that he is.

But then you realise that a couple of goals past Shay Given or a few lines of sexually charged dialogue between Penelope Cruz and Scarlett Johansson come nowhere near Annie Hall or ripping Nemanja Vidic apart in a 4-1 win at Old Trafford. The system perhaps doesn’t suit him but it was another evening of fruitless toil. He was replaced on the hour by Jesus Navas as Spain went again to the strikerless formation they showcased against Italy, with David Silva and then Cesc Fabregas as the false nine.

Bilic opted for the shape he’d used in the second-half against Italy, moving Luka Modric higher up the pitch in a 4-2-3-1 formation. That, somewhat surprisingly, meant Nikola Jelavic was left on the bench, as Mario Mandzukic was used as the lone striker — testament to the strength-work he’s done at Wolfsburg over the past season — with Darijo Srna moving into midfield as Domagoj Vida came in at right-back.

The intention presumably was two-fold: both to get Srna in positions in which his crossing could be a threat and to effectively play two right-backs (albeit Srna is an attacking one by inclination) to counter the threat of Andres Iniesta.

For a time, Croatia’s policy of containment worked. In the first 15 minutes, Spain completed 144 passes to Croatia’s 18, but Spain’s only chance was a mis-hit dink from Iniesta. They had a couple of long-range efforts and a Torres shot from a narrow angle, but essentially Croatia were able to frustrate them. They might even have had a penalty when Sergio Ramos, having nipped the ball away from Mandzukic followed through and caught him on the top of the foot; it wasn’t entirely clear cut, but you suspect anywhere else on the pitch the Real Madrid defender would have been cautioned for the lunge.

There was an odd sense of phoney war about the first three-quarters of the game, as though Croatia, even after news came through of Antonio Cassano’s goal against Ireland, were happy to keep the game tight and perhaps nick a winner late on. Spain, meanwhile, seemed quite happy to go along with the Croatian game plan, even though a 0-0 draw left them second in the group, while a Croatian goal would have eliminated them.

And Croatia did threaten. Just before the hour Modric led a counter, finding Ivan Rakitic with a superb cross with the outside of his right foot. The midfielder had time and space and met the ball with a firm header but couldn’t guide it away from Iker Casillas who made a fine block.

The Croatian charge came with 24 minutes remaining, Nikica Jelavic and Ivan Perisic coming on. Spain remained in control of the ball and oddly reluctant to shoot. Twice Fabregas had opportunities from a central position on the edge of the box and twice he dallied. And always, always, there was the danger of a Croatian break. Perisic drew a low save from Casillas with a volley from a Mandzukic cross, the rebound falling kindly for Spain.

With nine minutes to go the last throw of the dice came — Eduardo making it two strikers as he replaced the holding midfielder Ognjen Vukojevic. Inevitably that left them short at the back but they could have conceded one so long as they also scored one and still gone through. They nearly did, Corluka, whose shirt was clearly pulled by Sergio Busquets, heading just over as he stole in front of Casillas at a corner.

But it wasn’t to be. Spain had been trying to walk the ball into the net all night and finally they managed it, Fabregas lifting the ball over the top for Iniesta to square for Jesus Navas to thrash over the line from a yard. Even then a goal would have taken Croatia through, but although Pletikosa went up for an injury-time corner, it wasn’t to be: Croatia were out and Spain, were through.

CROATIA (4-2-3-1): Pletikosa 7; Vida 7 (Jelavic 66, 5), Corluka 6, Schildenfeld 6, Strinic 6; Vukojevic 6 (Eduardo 81), Rakitic 6; Srna 7, Modric 8, Pranjic 6 (Perisic 66, 6); Mandzukic 6.

SPAIN (4-3-3): Casillas 6; Arbeloa 6, Pique 6, Sergio Ramos 5, Jordi Alba 6; Xavi 6 (Negredo 90), Busquets 6, Xabi Alonso 6; Silva 6 (Fabregas 73), Torres 5 (Jesus Navas 61, 6), Iniesta 7.