Modric fires Croatia into knockouts
Luka Modric curled home a magnificent finish as Croatia shrugged off a slow commence to Euro 2020 to beat Scotland 3-1 on Tuesday and reach the last 16 in style, while leaving their opponents again on the tournament scrap-heap.
Nikola Vlasic and Ivan Perisic were also on target for Croatia in a victory that lifted Zlatko Dalic's side, so leggy and unconvincing within their first two games, up to second in Group D on four points.
They finished ahead, on goals scored, of the Czech Republic, who lost 1-0 to group winners England. Croatia next face the runner-up of Group E - where Sweden, Slovakia, Spain and Poland are still jockeying for position - in Copenhagen on June 28.
Scotland, who scored their only goal of the tournament through Callum McGregor, finished bottom of the pile on one point, falling to earth with a thump after their positive performance against England at Wembley lifted hopes of achieving the knockouts of a significant tournament for the very first time.
Modric's form have been called into question at the tournament, however the 35-year-old shaped a wonderful finish into the corner of the web with the exterior of his foot in the next half to create it 2-1, sending his side to a thoroughly deserved victory.
Deprived of Billy Gilmour, who failed a COVID-19 test in the buildup, Scotland seemed without midfield and Croatia bossed the ball, dominating possession for large periods before deservedly taking the lead after 17 minutes as Vlasic scored his sixth goal for his country.
There seemed little danger when a cross from the proper floated towards the far post but Perisic towered above his marker to head down for Vlasic to swivel and finish low into bottom corner.
The goal drained the life span out of Hampden Park and Scotland's fortunes didn't look like enhancing as Croatia stroked passes around the pitch, and the World Cup finalists seemed more likely to turn the screw further, Steve Clarke's side struck back.
As the clocked ticked towards halftime, Croatia didn't clear a cross from the left and it fell at your feet of McGregor just beyond your box.
He took an impression and drilled the ball low into the bottom corner to score his first goal for his country, and Scotland's first in any major tournament for 23 years, breathing life back to the home crowd.
Having dragged themselves back to the match Scotland almost fell behind again in the beginning of the second half but Josko Gvardiol let his first touch get away from him when one-on-one with Scotland keeper David Marshall and a excellent chance went begging.
The reprieve didn't last long.
Scotland's John McGinn wasted a great chance when he didn't get a proper connection on the ball from significantly less than a metre out at the far post and that was punished at the other end by Modric's moment of inspiration.
Croatia worked the ball nicely around the box before teeing up Modric from 20 metres and he shaped the ball delicately with the outside of his foot in to the far corner to revive Croatia's lead after 62 minutes.
Perisic applied the coup de grace in the 77th minute, sending a glancing header from a corner in to the net, making certain Scotland's dreadful run of never making the knockouts at a significant tournament in 11 attempts continued.
