The World Cup last 32 is no place for sentimentality. When Portugal and Croatia stride onto the pitch this evening, the polite handshakes of the group...
The World Cup last 32 is no place for sentimentality. When Portugal and Croatia stride onto the pitch this evening, the polite handshakes of the group stage will be replaced by the clenched jaw of knockout football. The tactical flexibility of both sides has been dissected over the past week, but now, under the floodlights, the theory must yield to clinical execution. Croatia, in their blue kit, will look to impose their hallmark rhythmic build up. Portugal, in white, will seek to exploit the spaces behind a defensive line that can be caught in the transitional play.The weather, we are told, is clear. The referee, as always, will have a say. But the real battle will be fought in the middle third, where Luka Modric's artistry meets the relentless athleticism of Portugal's engine room. Croatia have never been a side to park the bus, but when the stakes become squeaky bum time, even the most progressive managers can tighten the low block. Portugal, by contrast, have that rare ability to switch between control and chaos in a single move. One moment they are probing patiently; the next, a bursting run from deep leaves the opposition stretched and scrambling.This is not merely a test of talent but of nerve. Small margins decide these affairs. A deflection off a shin pad, a goalkeeper's misplaced pass, a decision in the box that could be either a penalty or a dive. The pundits have argued all week about who holds the psychological edge. My own view, for what it is worth, is that the side which wins the individual duels in the first twenty minutes will set the tone. Croatia can ill afford to let Portugal's wide men isolate their full backs. If the crosses come early and often, the tension will ratchet up inside the Croatian box. That is when mistakes are made, and this Portugal side, for all their tactical nuance, are devastating when they smell hesitation.From a fan perspective, this is the sort of encounter that fires up the water cooler debates for weeks. The build up has crackled with expectation. Will we see a masterclass of patient possession or a sudden, breathtaking burst of attacking football The answer, as ever, lies on the grass. Whoever handles the pressure and the pace of this elimination battle will move forward with momentum. For the other, the long walk off the pitch will be the start of a painful post mortem. That is the beauty and brutality of this tournament.
