Croatia optimistic about World Cup chances

ZAGREB, May 26: Croatia coach Zlatko Kranjcar, an advocate of attack-minded football, did not hide his optimism on learning their opponents in the group stage of the World Cup.

''Brazil are certainly favourites but I believe we have a chance against them. I think we're better than Australia, while Japan are also beatable,'' he said.

His understandable confidence was based on Croatia's results in the qualifying campaign to reach the finals in Germany.

Croatia finished top of Group Eight without losing a match after twice winning 1-0 against Sweden, who came second. Their only slip was a dismal 1-1 draw away to underdogs Malta.

Croatia's hopes are high because even if they suffer a defeat by Brazil in their opening match in Berlin on June 13, they will still have two games left against opponents much weaker than the world champions.

''With Japan and Australia in the group, Croatia should reach the second stage,'' said soccer pundit Mladen Barisa. ''They and Brazil are now favourites, unlike at Euro 2004 when it was difficult to expect them to progress beside France and England.'' The current squad is widely seen as being weaker than the one that finished third at the 1998 World Cup finals in France but no opponents should take them lightly, especially after they beat Argentina 3-2 in a friendly in March.

ROCK SOLID The rock-solid defence is commanded by Juventus's Robert Kovac -- a reliable, persistent, strong tackler who can also venture forward successfully. In their 10 qualifying games, Croatia conceded just five goals.

The midfield, led by the tireless but ageing Niko Kovac and Kranjcar's 21-year-old son Niko, is their weak point. Whether young Kranjcar can rise to the occasion and silence his critics -- who say he has talent but lacks fitness -- is anyone's guess.

The dearth of quality in this area is more pronounced when compared to the previous generation of Zvonimir Boban, Aljosa Asanovic and Robert Prosinecki who had brilliant technique and the knack of making the right pass at the right moment.

The attack is led by Rangers striker Dado Prso, who is possibly Croatia's only world-class player. He is most often paired with CSKA Moscow's pacey Ivica Olic who has often proved more deadly when coming off the bench.

Since Croatia declared independence from socialist Yugoslavia in 1991, its team have qualified for five out of six major tournaments, missing out only on Euro 2000.

They made their international debut at Euro 96 and reached the quarter-finals in England. Two years later, Croatia stunned the soccer world by finishing third at the World Cup in France beating Germany 3-0 along the way.

From there, it has all been downhill. Following the demise of a highly-gifted generation led by the country's top scorer Davor Suker and attacking midfielder Boban, the team did not get past the first stage of the next two major tournaments.

Kranjcar hopes to change that, saying: Getting through to the quarter-finals would be a great success.''

REUTERS