Sport

It all adds up for Croatia

Slovenia 0 Croatia 1 (agg 1-2): Ten-man Croatia booked their place in next year's European Championship finals with a 1-0 win…

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Thu Nov 20 2003 - 00:00

Slovenia 0 Croatia 1 (agg 1-2): Ten-man Croatia booked their place in next year's European Championship finals with a 1-0 win in Slovenia yesterday.

Croatia reached the finals in Portugal by 2-1 on aggregate after Saturday's first leg in Zagreb ended in a 1-1 draw.

Monaco striker Dado Prso scored the decisive goal for Croatia on 61 minutes with a shot from 10 metres after Tomislav Sokota had set him up with a pass from the right.

Two minutes earlier Croatia's Igor Tudor was sent off after receiving his second yellow card for a foul on Amir Karic.

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"I knew one ball had to go in. We showed we were the better team, though Slovenia were good too," said Prso, who has been in impressive form and also got their goal in the first leg.

Croatia coach Otto Baric added: "We expected a hard game, but once Prso scored I was sure they wouldn't be able to score."

The visitors had enjoyed the better start and midfielder Robert Kovac hit the post after just six minutes with a strike from just outside the box.

Slovenia had settled into the match by midway through the first half, but it was Croatia who again went close just before the break when Giovanni Rosso struck a rebound from a corner that just cleared the bar.

Baric said his team's superiority on the right hand side of the pitch and in defence were key to the victory.

"We dominated the whole 90 minutes of this second match, although perhaps in the last few minutes it was a bit harder because we were reduced to 10 men.

"We have 25 excellent players who can do very well in the competition (in Portugal). We can play better and we will play better."

SLOVENIA: Dabanovic, Cipot (Bulajic 87), Knavs, Vugdalic, Acimovic, Ceh, Karic, Pavlin, Sukalo (Rakovic 66), Zahovic, Rudonja (Kapic 46). Subs Not Used: Mavric, Cesar, Koren, Seslar. Booked: Karic.

CROATIA: Pletikosa, Robert Kovac, Zivkovic, Simunic (Babic 53), Tudor, Rapaic (Tomas 66), Rosso, Nico Kovac, Srna, Prso (Leko 75), Sokota. Subs Not Used: Butina, Tokic, Mornar, Zekic. Sent Off: Tudor (58). Booked: Tudor, Leko. Goals: Prso 60.

Referee: U Meier (Switzerland).