[Mr-Cricket]

Croatia detects defensive chinks
June 5, 2006

CROATIA coach Zlatko Kranjcar has criticised his team's defending after the 1-0 defeat by Poland in its latest World Cup warm-up.

Kranjcar said after Saturday's game that he was happy with Croatia's dominance, but he has since focused on a defence whose blunders in the previous friendly helped Iran earn a 2-2 draw.

"It is evident that our defence is repeatedly showing weaknesses after corners or free kicks, when we often concede goals," the Vjesnik daily today quoted Kranjcar as saying.

"It also happened in the qualifiers that our opponents did not create chances but managed to score due to our occasional lack of concentration."

Croatia conceded a second-half goal from Ebi Smolarek after the Poland striker had found space in the box to head home a Maciej Zurawski corner in the 54th minute.

Kranjcar said the game also confirmed the importance of Rangers star Dado Prso to Croatia's attack, as the striker was sidelined with a mild viral infection that also struck several other players.

"Prso is our key force and we missed him a lot against Poland," Kranjcar said.

"I've yet to decide whether to pair him with Ivica Olic or Ivan Klasnic.
Croatia's final warm-up game against Spain in Geneva on Wednesday should remove one more uncertainty.

"That game will open the way to our first choice of goalkeeper," Kranjcar said.

The chief candidates are Tomislav Butina and Stipe Pletikosa, who have both shown solid form peppered with occasional mistakes.

Croatia opens its Group F campaign against Brazil in Berlin on June 13 before facing Japan on June 18 in Nuremberg and Australia on June 22 in Stuttgart.