Modric and Pasalic give Croatia a 2-1 Nations League win in Czechia

Croatia began Slaven Bilic’s return as national coach with a 2-1 Nations League victory in Czechia. Luka Modric opened the scoring soon after half-time, Adam Karabec levelled after an Adam Hlozek pass, and Marco Pasalic headed the winner from Ivan Perisic’s lofted delivery.

Both teams limited risk during the first half

The opening period did not produce the decisive goal, but it established the contest around midfield access. Croatia wanted Modric to receive with enough time to turn, while Czechia tried to use Hlozek as a route from pressure into the attacking third. Neither side could afford to send too many players ahead of the ball before the shape behind them was secure.

That caution was not a lack of ambition. It reflected the first match of a new Nations League group and new coaches on both touchlines. A clear structure gives players a reference when instructions are still becoming familiar. The match opened only after half-time, when one successful action forced the other team to take greater risks.

Modric gave Croatia the first lead

Croatia’s captain scored shortly after the restart. The timing mattered because it arrived before Czechia could apply its planned changes for the second half. Modric is often described through control and passing, but his value also includes recognising when to continue into a finishing position. The goal made Czechia defend a wider range of movements around the box.

Croatia did not need to turn every possession into a fast attack after taking the lead. The visitors could circulate the ball, draw Czechia forward and look for the next free player. That approach is safer only when the team remains ready for a direct counter. Hlozek’s ability to carry or release the ball meant the Czech response remained credible.

Hlozek’s direct pass created Karabec’s equaliser

Adam Hlozek found Adam Karabec for the equalising goal. The action showed the value of a clear forward pass after regaining control. Czechia did not have to dismantle the entire Croatian block through a long combination; the important work was creating a clean relationship between the player advancing the ball and the runner arriving to finish.

The equaliser changed the emotional position of both teams. Czechia could see a route to more than a draw, while Croatia had to decide whether to protect the point or push players forward again. Bilic’s side chose to keep looking for a winning situation rather than allowing the match to settle into a cautious final phase.

Perisic’s cross gave Pasalic the winning header

Ivan Perisic delivered a lofted cross and Marco Pasalic met it with the header that restored Croatia’s lead. The cross worked because it was aimed at a specific movement, not merely sent into a crowded area. Pasalic attacked the useful space and forced the defender to react while facing his own goal.

Aerial goals are often reduced to height, but the earlier details matter more: the quality of the angle, the speed of the delivery and the attacker’s starting point. Croatia’s experienced wide player created a ball that could be directed rather than fought for. Pasalic then completed the action without giving Czechia time for a second defensive contact.

Bilic begins with a result and a useful warning

The victory gives Bilic three points at the start of his return as coach. It also offers a balanced lesson. Croatia showed that experience can still decide a close match, yet Czechia’s equaliser proved that the visitors were not in permanent control. The next performance must preserve the response after conceding without depending on another late delivery.

Czechia can take value from creating the equaliser under pressure, but the team must defend the far side of the box more consistently. New coach Santi Denia has a visible starting point rather than an abstract problem. The 2-1 score separates the teams in the table; the sequence of goals explains what each one needs to improve. Croatia’s winning move brought together two different types of experience. Modric controlled when the visitors should pause, while Perisic recognised the instant when a higher cross could isolate Pasalic. Czechia had defended many direct attacks, but a cross delivered at a different height and moment made the final header harder to stop. That sequence explains the narrow score better than a simple claim of Croatian dominance: the visitors needed one precise adjustment after the equaliser rather than a constant wave of chances.