Modrić Leads Croatia to Late Victory Against Slovenia
Luka Modrić has spent a career deciding big games with small moments. He did it again in Varaždin.
At the Stadion Anđelko Herjavec, Croatia’s captain set the tone in a 2-1 win over Slovenia, a friendly in name only as the World Cup looms and England await on 17 June.
Croatia controlled long stretches and, predictably, it was Modrić who broke the deadlock. Drifting into that familiar pocket on the edge of the box, he met a loose ball with a crisp, measured strike, guiding it beyond the goalkeeper to give the hosts the lead. Simple on the eye, ruthless in execution.
The game seemed to be drifting towards a routine home victory. Then it cracked open.
With seven minutes of normal time remaining, Andraž Šporar pounced. Slovenia finally turned pressure into a punch, and his finish in the 83rd minute dragged them level, silencing the home crowd and offering a sharp reminder that Croatia’s defensive focus still needs sharpening before they face England.
The response was pure tournament-team mentality.
Croatia pushed back up the pitch, refused to settle, and kept asking questions. Deep into stoppage time, the breakthrough came. Mario Pašalić arrived with the kind of late, decisive contribution coaches dream about, striking in the 93rd minute to restore the lead and seal the win. A friendly on paper, a statement in reality: this side still knows how to close a game.
The performance was not flawless. The result, though, keeps confidence high as Croatia fine-tune the details ahead of their World Cup opener.
Estupiñan Shines as Ecuador Sweep Aside Guatemala
In another corner of the World Cup build-up, Ecuador delivered a far more straightforward evening.
They brushed past Guatemala 3-0, a scoreline that matched the authority of their display and pushed momentum in exactly the right direction before their 15 June opener against Ivory Coast.
Pervis Estupiñan stood out. The full-back drove Ecuador forward all night, blending defensive assurance with constant attacking threat down the flank. His performance deserved a goal; the one he produced was worthy of any highlight reel.
Spotting the goalkeeper off his line from distance, Estupiñan didn’t hesitate. He lifted the ball with precision and audacity, sending it arcing over the stranded keeper for Ecuador’s third. It was the kind of strike that underlines a player’s confidence and a team’s growing belief.
Ecuador leave this friendly not just with a clean sheet and three goals, but with the sense that their key figures are hitting form at the right time.
Bartesaghi Helps Italy’s Experimental Side Grind Past Greece
For Italy, the night was about answers rather than spectacle.
Davide Bartesaghi started again and played the full 90 minutes in an “experimental” Italy side under coach Baldini, as the Azzurri edged Greece 1-0 to close out their latest run of friendlies, having already squeezed past Luxembourg by a single goal.
This was a test of structure and discipline more than attacking flair. Italy held their shape, managed the game, and found just enough in the final third to secure victory. For Bartesaghi, another complete outing in a rotated line-up strengthens his case as a reliable option when competitive fixtures return.
Two narrow wins, two clean sheets, and a clearer picture of who Baldini can trust. With the serious business approaching, that might prove more valuable than any flourish.
