Luka Modrić Leads Croatia to Late Victory in World Cup Warm-Up
At the Stadion Anđelko Herjavec in Varaždin, Croatia’s World Cup preparations found their edge in the familiar right boot of Luka Modrić and the late instincts of Mario Pašalić.
In a 2-1 win over Slovenia, this was no gentle friendly. It felt like a dress rehearsal.
Modrić opened the scoring with the kind of finish that has defined a generation of Croatian football. Drifting into space on the edge of the box, he collected the ball, set himself, and drove a precise strike beyond the goalkeeper. One touch to steady, one to punish. Croatia in front, the crowd instantly alive.
They controlled long spells, moving the ball with the calm of a side that has been here before, that knows its World Cup opener against England on 17 June will demand this level as a minimum. Yet the rhythm of the night shifted late.
With seven minutes of normal time left, Slovenia struck back. Andraž Šporar pounced in the 83rd minute, levelling the match and briefly silencing Varaždin. A game Croatia had largely managed suddenly tilted into a contest, the kind that exposes either rust or resilience.
The answer came deep into stoppage time.
In the 93rd minute, Pašalić arrived with the decisive moment, turning pressure into a winner that felt bigger than the occasion. Croatia didn’t just avoid a late stumble; they showed the sort of relentlessness that managers crave heading into a major tournament. A friendly on paper, a statement in practice.
Estupiñan lights it up for Ecuador
Across the globe, Ecuador delivered their own World Cup warning shot.
Against Guatemala, they produced a sharp, controlled 3-0 victory that never really looked in doubt. Pervis Estupiñan was the standout presence, a constant outlet on the flank and a driving force in both phases of play.
His performance deserved a goal. He gave himself one worthy of the highlight reels.
Spotting the goalkeeper off his line, Estupiñan lifted the ball from long range with audacity and precision, guiding it over the stranded keeper for Ecuador’s third. It was the kind of strike that reveals confidence, not just form.
For a side building towards their World Cup opener against Ivory Coast on 15 June, this was exactly the kind of night they needed: clean sheet, convincing margin, key players in stride, and a clear sense of momentum.
Experimental Italy grind it out
In Italy, the tone was different but no less significant.
Davide Bartesaghi enjoyed another full 90 minutes in an Italian side labelled “experimental” under coach Baldini, yet there was nothing casual about their approach. These are the games where fringe players either fade into the background or force their way into the conversation.
Bartesaghi did the latter, delivering a solid display as Italy edged Greece 1-0. It was another tight result, following a narrow win over Luxembourg, but the pattern will please Baldini: controlled, disciplined, and effective, even without the full complement of established stars.
No fireworks, just structure and reliability. For players like Bartesaghi, nights like this matter. They linger in a coach’s memory when final squads are drawn and trusted line-ups are built.
Across Croatia, Ecuador, and Italy, the friendlies are officially over in name only. The scorelines now carry a different weight. The next time these sides step out, the stakes will no longer be negotiable.
