Croatian goalkeeper Danijel Subasic falls into the net as the Czech Republic’s Milan Skoda scores in their Group D match in Saint-Etienne on Friday. (Photo: AP)
Croatian goalkeeper Danijel Subasic falls into the net as the Czech Republic’s Milan Skoda scores in their Group D match in Saint-Etienne on Friday. (Photo: AP)
A 94th-minute penalty rescued a point for the Czech Republic in their dramatic 2-2 draw with Croatia as flares thrown onto the pitch marred Friday’s match.
With Croatia 2-1 up and with one foot in the last 16, referee Mark Clattenberg briefly halted play late in the game when flares thrown by Croatian fans landed on the pitch in Saint-Etienne.
When the match resumed, Croatia defender Domagoj Vida was penalised for handball and Tomas Necid drilled home the resulting penalty, deep in added time, to claim their first point.
Having beaten Turkey 1-0 in their opener at the European championship finals, Croatia appeared to have their second win in the bag. But Czech replacement Milan Skoda pulled one back before fellow replacement Necid’s dramatic spot-kick.
Captain Darijo Srna took his place at right-back after returning from father’s funeral back in Croatia and shed a few tears during his country’s anthem in an emotional start to a tense encounter.
Striker Mario Mandzukic had a field day playing in front of Real Madrid’s Luka Modric.
