Luka Modrić Leads Croatia to Victory Over Slovenia
The lights at Stadion Anđelko Herjavec were already dipping towards dusk when Luka Modrić took hold of the evening.
In a tight, occasionally scrappy friendly in Varaždin, Croatia’s captain supplied the touch of class that opened the door, then watched his teammates slam it shut in stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win over Slovenia in their World Cup build-up.
This was not a night of flowing, exhibition football. It was one of rhythm, control and reminders of why Croatia remain such an awkward proposition for anyone, including their first World Cup opponents, England, on 17 June.
Modrić sets the tone, Pasalić delivers the sting
Modrić, as so often, dictated the tempo. Drifting between the lines, he finally carved the game open with a strike from the edge of the box, steering Croatia in front and underlining his enduring knack for arriving in exactly the right pocket of space.
Slovenia refused to fade. They grew into the contest, pushed higher, and with seven minutes left, Andraž Šporar pounced. His 83rd-minute equaliser dragged the visitors level and briefly silenced the home crowd, a warning that Croatia’s concentration can still waver late on.
The response was ruthless.
Deep into stoppage time, with the clock ticking into the 93rd minute, Mario Pašalić found the winner. It was the sort of goal that changes the mood of a camp: not spectacular, but decisive, arriving when legs are heavy and minds can drift. Croatia left with the result they wanted and, just as importantly, the feeling that they can still force a game their way in its final breaths.
England will have taken note. This is a side that may bend, but rarely breaks.
Estupiñán shines as Ecuador build momentum
Thousands of kilometres away, Ecuador produced a far more emphatic statement.
Their 3-0 victory over Guatemala carried the air of a team gathering speed at exactly the right time before their World Cup opener against Ivory Coast on 15 June. The scoreline told one story; Pervis Estupiñan told another.
The full-back impressed throughout, driving forward with purpose and defending with authority. His performance reached its peak with a superb third goal: spotting the goalkeeper off his line, Estupiñán lifted the ball from long range, a finish that combined audacity with precision.
It was the sort of strike that energises a dressing room. Ecuador did not just win; they imposed themselves, and they did it with a flourish.
Bartesaghi steady as Italy’s experimental side grinds it out
For Italy, the tone was different but the conclusion just as satisfying.
In an ‘experimental’ side selected by coach Baldini, Davide Bartesaghi earned another start and made full use of it, playing the entire 90 minutes in a 1-0 win over Greece. No drama, no fireworks, but a solid night’s work in a team still being shaped.
Italy had already edged past Luxembourg by a single goal, and this narrow victory continued that pattern: controlled, compact, and conservative on the scoreboard, yet quietly effective. For Bartesaghi, another full outing in this environment matters as much as any margin of victory.
As the World Cup edges closer, Croatia lean on experience, Ecuador on momentum, and Italy on method. The friendlies are almost over; the questions they have raised are about to meet the only test that counts.
