Norway 1 Croatia 1:THIS WAS, Slaven Bilic admitted, "far away" from how he wanted his side to look when they take on Ireland at the European Championships next weekend.
The Croatia manager will have been disappointed to concede a 92nd-minute equaliser here in Norway but he was equally frustrated by what preceded it.
Sloppy in possession and shaky in defence, the visitors had been fortunate to go ahead on Saturday through Eduardo da Silva’s goal 11 minutes from time.
Never one to sugar coat things too much, however, Bilic conceded that Tarik Elyounoussi’s leveller – headed home from close range after a corner – was the least Norway deserved.
“We didn’t play good,” the former West Ham and Everton defender said. “It was a poor performance according to our standards.”
Croatia had been training hard, Bilic said, and stiff legs led to “unusually, unbelievably many technical mistakes” from his players.
“But I’m not concerned. I’m not worried that much because we are at this stage of the preparation. Also what is important for us, we’ve been missing two of maybe the best players with [Luka] Modric and [Vedran] Corluka who are very important, each of them, in every department of the game.”
The Tottenham pair were notable absentees from the Croatian line-up, which featured seven of the players who started their Euro 2012 play-off against Turkey.
Corluka was resting a back complaint, while Modric also skipped training on Friday.
Croatian medical staff suggested that there is nothing wrong with their star midfielder and the player himself did not look too concerned at the Ullevaal Stadium, where he took in the game from the press box.
Bilic, though, watched on nervously as an entertaining friendly unfolded.
Croatian captain Darijo Srna, Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Rakitic and substitute Ivica Olic all required treatment as some robust Norwegian challenges flew in, although only Olic had to depart with what looked like a hamstring strain.
“Like any other manager I also told them before the game, that [the European Championships] has started today,” Bilic said. “But no matter how you try to do it, it’s still in their heads not to get injured at the very last moment. I was a player and I can understand it. But still it could have been, it should have been, it must have been better than this.
“The game was competitive. That’s why we chose Norway because you know that you’re going to get a proper game and we were looking for it. Our players, they didn’t get injured hopefully.
“Maybe something will come out but I was in the dressingroom and it was more [that] they went out because of precautions.
“But we wanted to play here because our first game is against a team that is even much more aggressive than Norway was tonight.”
On this evidence, there will be plenty for Bilic to address during the week. Domagoj Vida endured a torrid evening at right back, while the cumbersome centre back pairing of Josip Simunic and Gordon Schildenfeld struggled any time that Norway shifted the ball quickly on the floor.
Everton striker Nikica Jelavic toiled fruitlessly before being substituted at half-time and former Arsenal forward Eduardo took advantage – his perfectly-placed header from Srna’s cross one of the few plus points for Croatia.
However, Bilic suggested that Croatia’s last game before Euro 2008 was similarly uninspiring, and promised that his team would be ready for Sunday.
“We played against Ireland last summer and you pretty much know how they’re going to be. We just have to better than this. And we are going to be better than this.”
NORWAY: Jarstein (Pettersen, half-time); Ruud, Demidov (Madsen, half-time), Hangeland, Riise; Elyounoussi, Henriksen (Grindheim, 71), Tettey (Berisha, 73 mins), Jenssen, Huseklepp (Soderlund, 84); Braaten.
CROATIA: Pletikosa; Vida, Schildenfeld, Simunic, Strinic (Pranjic, half-time); Srna, Dujmovic (Vukojevic, half-time), Rakitic, Perisic (Kranjcar, 63); Mandzukic (Eduardo 63), Jelavic (Olic, half-time) (Ilicevic, 71).
Referee: S Karasev (Russia).
'Slow on the ball': Hangeland verdict on Croatia
Norway captain Brede Hangeland expects Ireland to be a match for Croatia if they play to the best of their ability on Sunday.
The Fulham defender, a team-mate of Damien Duff and Stephen Kelly, got a close look at Ireland's opposition on Saturday evening.
"To be honest, they didn't play as well as I thought they would play," Hangeland said after Saturday's 1-1 draw in Oslo.
"They were a bit slow on the ball and, especially in the first half, they didn't cause us any problems. So I was a bit surprised and disappointed on their part for that.
"But I think there is probably a thought in the back of their mind that 'okay, the Euros is starting in a week or so', and first and foremost you don't want to get injured." Hangeland said he had been in touch with Duff ahead of the clash with Croatia.
"They were talking about Modric and maybe we could give him a tackle, him and Stephen Kelly.
"But he didn't play so I might send Damien a text and give him some tips. I think if Ireland play as well as they can play, they can certainly get something against this team."
