Croatia v Mexico
Monday 3rd June 2002 7.30 BST, Niigata
Croatia 0 Mexico 1
Blanco 60 (pen)
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Oops, didn't wake up until 7.44 and then I had to be woken!! Seems though that nothing was missed and could've safely slept until just before 9.00 without missing anything. Mexico's winner came from a Bunnyhop Blanco penalty after Zivkovic had taken down somebody in the penalty area and, as last man, saw the first red card of the tournament. Croatia reduced to 10 men and, what did they do, they took off Boksic (Suker had already been subbed) and put on Mario! Did they really hope to get an equaliser with just him up front? Oh, it was a little sad actually. I have loved Croatia in the past - but they just didn't seem like they wanted to be there; very lacklustre. What's more, they were scruffy. Those magical tablecloth tops have been massacred by Nike and look like something auntie knocked up. They are missing Bobin, without a doubt. Happy for the Mexicans though, as they were keen as mustard and looked quite dandy in their forest green mesh. Barring miracles, Croatia will be going home very soon.
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Teams
Croatia (4-3-1-2): 1-Stipe Pletikosa; 6-Boris Zivkovic, 21-Robert Kovac, 3-Josip Simunic, 17-Robert Jarni; 4-Stjepan Tomas, 14-Zvonimir Soldo, 10-Niko Kovac; 8-Robert Prosinecki (5-Milan Rapaic 46); 9-Davor Suker (15-Daniel Saric 64), 11-Alen Boksic (13-Mario Stanic 67)
Mexico (3-5-2): 1-Oscar Perez; 5-Manuel Vidrio, 4-Rafael Marquez, 16-Salvador Carmona; 7-Ramon Morales, 19-Gabriel Caballero, 6-Gerardo Torrado, 11-Braulio Luna, 13-Sigifredo Mercado; 10-Cuauhtemoc Blanco (17-Francisco Palencia 79), 9-Jared Borgetti (15-Luis Hernandez 68)
Referee: Jun Lu (China)
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