Croatia secured their fourth consecutive home victory with a clean sheet, defeating Poland 1-0 in a tightly contested UEFA Nations League match on Saturday. The result mirrored their last encounter in 2008, maintaining Croatia’s strong home form which has seen them lose only once in their last eight matches.
The hosts dominated the first half, with Duje Caleta-Car forcing Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski into an early save with a close-range header. Veteran midfielder Luka Modrić came close to opening the scoring with a long-range effort that whistled just wide. Striker Igor Matanović had a hat-trick of chances but failed to find the target, while Poland struggled to create meaningful opportunities.
Poland showed more intent after the break, with Nicola Zalewski, fresh from scoring the winner against Scotland in their previous match, testing Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković with a powerful shot that was palmed away.
The breakthrough came for Croatia shortly after, when they were awarded a dangerous free-kick. Modrić, showcasing his enduring class at 37 years old, stepped up and delicately looped the ball into the top corner, giving Croatia a deserved lead.
Buoyed by the goal, Croatia pressed for a second. Matanović hit the crossbar after a impressive solo run and later skewed wide from a promising position. Bruno Petković also came close, his curling effort tipped away by Skorupski.
Poland nearly equalized late in the game when their talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski rattled the crossbar, nearly adding to his goal from the opening match against Scotland. However, Croatia’s defense held firm to secure the vital three points.
This victory was particularly important for Croatia following their 2-1 loss to Portugal in their Nations League opener. Both Croatia and Poland now have three points from their first two matches in the competition, as they aim to qualify for the UNL play-offs.
The result underlines Croatia’s resilience at home and their ability to grind out results, while Poland will rue their missed opportunities and lack of cutting edge in the final third.
As the Nations League campaign progresses, both teams will look to build on their performances. Croatia will be encouraged by their defensive solidity and the continued influence of Modrić, while Poland will seek to address their offensive struggles and capitalize on the scoring prowess of Lewandowski.
