Euro 2016: Croatia shock champions in feisty clash

ISTANBUL

It was Croatia's never-say-die attitude which made the difference in their 2-1 win over Spain in the two sides' Group D clash played out in the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux on Tuesday evening.

In a feisty, dramatic encounter it was a 87th-minute counter-attack finished off by Ivan Perisic which broke Spanish hearts and sent Ante Cacic's men through to the knockout stages of the Euro 2016 tournament.

Spain had started strongly, with Alvara Morato’s seventh-minute score being enough to get fans of the reigning European champions into early celebrations. The Real Madrid striker fired a shot off the side of his foot to beat Danijel Subasic, putting all three points within reach of Vicente del Bosque’s men.

Despite claims for offside, Morato's score stood.

Croatia put up spirited resistance in the first half, with Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic standing out for the chasing Croats. Spain looked to be heading into the break one-nil ahead until a cross from Perisic on the left connected with Croatia’s Nikola Kalinic, who put the ball past David de Gea with the side of his foot at close range.

It was end-to-end stuff in the second half, with Croatia – buoyed by their first-half fight back – taking the game to Spain.

Del Bosque was forced to make a change in the 60th minute, with Bruno Soriano coming on for Celta Vigo's Nolito.

Spain's best chance of snatching victory came with a penalty in the 72nd minute after David Silva went to the ground in the penalty box. Amid furious protests from the Croatian players, Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers gave the penalty.

However, Sergio Ramos' effort was saved by Subasic, sending the Croatian fans into raptures. Their joy was compounded not long after when Perisic beat de Gea to bag all three points for the Croatians.

In Tuesday's other Group D game, Turkey recovered from their 3-0 defeat to Spain to beat the Czech Republic 2-0 at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.