Luka Modrić Leads Croatia to Victory Over Slovenia
The floodlights in Varaždin caught Luka Modrić in familiar pose: head up, ball at his feet, game bending to his rhythm. At the Stadion Anđelko Herjavec, Croatia’s captain once again provided the spark, scoring in a 2-1 win over Slovenia that felt far more serious than a friendly on the road to the World Cup.
This was a tune-up in name only. With England looming on 17 June, Zlatko Dalić’s side treated the night like an exam.
Modrić broke the deadlock with the kind of finish that has become his signature. Drifting into space on the edge of the box, he met a loose ball and whipped a precise strike beyond the goalkeeper, a clean, controlled hit that underlined why he remains Croatia’s reference point in big moments. One touch to set, one to punish. Simple, ruthless.
Croatia controlled long stretches, moving the ball with assurance and pinning Slovenia back, but they never fully shook them off. The warning signs were there as the second half wore on and the tempo dipped. Slovenia grew bolder, pushed their line higher, and started to test a Croatian defence that had enjoyed a relatively calm evening.
The pressure finally told in the 83rd minute. Andraž Šporar found his opening and levelled, turning a comfortable rehearsal into a nervy finish. For a few minutes, the match flipped: Croatia, who had dictated almost everything, suddenly looked rushed, the crowd restless, the clock unforgiving.
Then came the response.
Deep into stoppage time, with the 93rd minute ticking away, Mario Pašalić stepped up to restore order. The midfielder found the winner to seal a 2-1 victory, a late strike that sent the home fans surging to their feet and handed Dalić exactly what every coach wants from these nights: a test, a scare, and a reminder that his side can still decide games at the death.
It was only a friendly. It felt like a statement all the same.
Ecuador turn on the style against Guatemala
In another corner of the World Cup build-up, Ecuador produced a far more straightforward evening’s work, sweeping aside Guatemala 3-0 in a confident display.
Pervis Estupiñan stood out. The left-back drove Ecuador forward all night, stretching the pitch, joining attacks, and constantly asking questions of a tiring Guatemalan back line. His performance deserved a goal; he delivered one that will live long in the memory.
Spotting the goalkeeper off his line from distance, Estupiñan didn’t hesitate. He lifted the ball with precision and audacity, sending a superb long-range effort arcing over the stranded keeper for Ecuador’s third. It was the kind of finish that speaks of a player brimming with belief.
The scoreline, and the manner of it, gives Ecuador exactly what they wanted: momentum and clarity before their World Cup opener on 15 June against Ivory Coast. They look sharp, they look ambitious, and crucially, they look ready to take risks in the final third.
Bartesaghi steady as Italy edge Greece
For Italy, the mood was different but no less encouraging. In an ‘experimental’ side selected by coach Baldini, Davide Bartesaghi made the most of his opportunity, starting again and completing the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 win over Greece.
This was a night about structure and discipline rather than spectacle. Italy, already coming off a narrow victory over Luxembourg, tightened the screws once more, grinding out another single-goal success to close their friendly run.
Bartesaghi’s full shift will please the staff as much as the result. These matches are where fringe players either fade into the background or quietly stake a claim. He chose the latter, delivering a solid, reliable performance that strengthens his case in a squad still being shaped.
As the World Cup edges closer, Modrić dictating, Estupiñan daring, and Bartesaghi emerging each tell a different story. The question now is whose arc will carry furthest when the real games begin.
