Croatia’s U-17 national team achieved their first victory at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, beating the United Arab Emirates 3-0 in their second Group C match. After a goalless draw against tournament favorites Senegal in their opener, Marijan Budimir’s squad demonstrated quality and composure to claim all three points, boosting their chances to advance to the knockout stage.
Croatia started strongly, threatening early when Niko Horvat’s close-range attempt was saved by UAE goalkeeper Jassim Al Hammadi in the opening minute. The breakthrough came in the 30th minute when Tin Kusanović scored after Gabrijel Šivalec intercepted a pass deep in UAE territory and set him up.
Six minutes later, Šivalec himself doubled the lead with a curling shot from about 15 meters. The final goal arrived late in the game when substitute Krešimir Radoš headed home a precise cross in the 88th minute to seal a 3-0 victory.
Budimir’s team controlled the match with solid organization and discipline, keeping a clean sheet against their opponents.
“Gabrijel Šivalec intercepted a pass deep in the UAE half and played the ball through to Kusanović, who calmly finished from close range to make it 1-0.”
Summary: Croatia’s U-17 team showed strong discipline and attacking skill to earn a vital 3-0 win over the UAE, improving their prospects in the World Cup group stage.