Croatia lost 2-4 to England in their opening World Cup group stage match. The Vatreni fell behind twice and equalized twice, but England clearly dominated the second half, with Livaković making several crucial saves to prevent an even heavier defeat. After the match, Croatia's best player assessed the game.
About the match
"We conceded four goals and came from behind twice, but we couldn't go any further. We need to be ready for the second match."
Did the opponent’s quick goals determine the course of the match?
"They caught us off guard at the beginning, yes."
You made some excellent saves today.
"Regarding the first penalty save, I regret it. I don't know how far I was off my line at that moment (with both feet), but the retake of that penalty changed the momentum of the game. With just a little more luck, the outcome would have been completely different."
What was your reaction when you learned the penalty had to be retaken?
"There was nothing I could do about it. I could only focus on saving the second penalty."