Croatia opened their UEFA Nations League campaign with a 2-1 win away to Czechia at Fortuna Arena in Prague, kick-starting League A, Group 3 with three points. The visitors were sharper in the final third and used their bench well to settle a balanced second half.

Goals from Luka Modrić and substitute Marco Pašalić did the job after Adam Karabec briefly leveled for the hosts. For the full breakdown, see the match page on Sofascore and the UEFA Nations League hub.

How the 2-1 unfolded in Prague

Croatia controlled a first half that finished goalless, outshooting Czechia 9-0 and building momentum from wide areas. The breakthrough arrived on 47 minutes when Igor Matanović intercepted high and found Luka Modrić, who swept in with his right foot for 0-1. The hosts responded quickly, and in the 54th minute Adam Hložek slipped a pass to Adam Karabec, who finished low to make it 1-1. Substitutions then tilted the balance, as Croatia introduced Ante Budimir, Mario Pašalić and Marco Pašalić on 63 minutes. The decisive moment came on 77 minutes when Ivan Perišić delivered a trademark left-side cross and Marco Pašalić headed in at close range.

Those three second-half goals matched the uptick in chance quality. Modrić’s strike carried 0.12 xG while Karabec’s reply registered 0.14 xG with a strong 0.85 xGOT. Pašalić’s winner was the best look of the night at 0.40 xG, reflecting Croatia’s improved penalty-area presence after the changes. Referee Simone Sozza showed yellows to Lukáš Červ on 36 minutes, Luka Vušković on 66 minutes and Alex Král deep in added time. With five minutes added at the end, Croatia saw it out without major scares.

Numbers that tilted the match

The visitors owned more of the ball at 56% possession and produced far more efforts, leading 16-5 in total shots and 5-2 on target. Expected goals underscored that gap at 1.78 to 0.99 overall, with Croatia also generating 12 attempts inside the box to Czechia’s 4. Perišić’s crossing volume helped tilt territory, and Croatia won the corner count 6-1. Sofascore’s team metrics highlight how sustained pressure told in the final third, not just in isolated moments.

Entries into the final third finished 73-32 in Croatia’s favor, while their final-third phase completion was 79% compared to Czechia’s 49%. Croatia completed 490 of 564 passes to Czechia’s 380 of 450, keeping the hosts penned back for long stretches. Touches in the opposition box were striking at 27-8 to the visitors. Unsurprisingly, average Sofascore Ratings leaned Croatia as well, 7.40 to 7.01.

Defending, duels and the small margins

Czechia actually edged the physical battles, winning 54% of total duels and completing 9 of 11 dribbles. They were also strong in the air at 56% and cleared their lines 41 times to Croatia’s 10, a number that shows how often they had to defend the box. Offside calls hurt the hosts though, with six flagged runs versus Croatia’s zero, blunting promising situations. Croatia contributed more proactive defending higher up the pitch, leading interceptions 11-6 and total tackles 9-5.

In goal, Lukáš Horníček made four saves, punched twice and prevented 0.72 goals based on shot quality faced, keeping Czechia in it. Dominik Livaković had a quieter night with one save and 0.48 goals prevented. The margins also showed in errors: Czechia committed two leading to goals versus one for Croatia, a swing you could feel on the scoreboard. Fouls were modest at 6-9, and the game rarely boiled over, even as intensity rose after the interval.

MVP: Luka Modrić’s control with end product

Luka Modrić earned the match’s top Sofascore Rating with an 8.4, and it was easy to see why. He scored the opener, completed 61 of 66 passes and delivered 4 of 4 long balls, stitching Croatia’s play together in both halves. With 73 touches, five recoveries and one interception, he influenced the game on and off the ball. He also recorded 29 ball carries with meaningful progression, keeping Croatia’s attacks flowing into the right areas. Modrić departed on 76 minutes to deserved applause, having set the tone for the result.

His accuracy in the opposition half stood out, hitting 43 of 48 passes there and helping Croatia maintain territory after taking the lead. The captain kept risk and reward in balance, losing possession just seven times while still playing through pressure. In a night with quality wide service and energetic runners, his timing lifted the whole attack. As starts to a Nations League group go, this was a blueprint performance. For supporters tracking every metric, Sofascore made the story clear from his passing maps to his on-ball value.

Supporting casts and standout performers