Luka Modrić Leads Croatia to Victory Over Slovenia

Luka Modrić strikes late warning shot as Croatia edge Slovenia

Croatia’s World Cup preparations found their heartbeat in Varaždin, carried once again by the boots of Luka Modrić and settled by a stoppage-time punch from Mario Pašalić.

At the compact, restless Stadion Anđelko Herjavec, Croatia beat Slovenia 2-1 in a friendly that felt far more serious than the label on the fixture. This is a team tuning up for England on 17 June, and the intensity showed.

Modrić, as so often, set the tone. Hovering on the edge of the box, he took aim and drilled in the opener with the kind of crisp, controlled strike that has become his trademark. One touch to set, one to decide. Slovenia had been warned; Croatia, calm and measured, looked in control.

The game drifted towards its final stages with Croatia seemingly managing the tempo, probing without overextending. Then the mood flipped.

In the 83rd minute, Andraž Šporar pounced to level the match, punishing a lapse that briefly silenced the home crowd and jolted Croatia out of their rhythm. For a moment, the narrative threatened to turn: a dominant performance undone by late carelessness.

Croatia refused to let it happen. They pushed again, higher and harder, and the pressure finally told. Deep into stoppage time, in the 93rd minute, Pašalić arrived with the decisive touch, steering in the winner and restoring both the lead and the belief. Not just a friendly anymore, but a reminder of Croatia’s stubborn streak when the clock runs red.

England await. Croatia head into that opener with a late win in their legs and their leader already on the scoresheet.

Estupiñan shines as Ecuador sweep aside Guatemala

In another corner of the World Cup build-up, Ecuador delivered a statement of their own, sweeping past Guatemala 3-0 in a one-sided friendly.

Pervis Estupiñan dominated the night. Energetic, aggressive, constantly on the front foot, he drove Ecuador forward and capped his display with the moment of the match. Spotting the goalkeeper off his line from distance, he lifted the ball over him with audacious precision for Ecuador’s third goal, a finish that oozed confidence and vision.

The scoreline reflected the performance: controlled, assured, and increasingly ruthless as Guatemala faded. For Ecuador, it is exactly the kind of clean, convincing win that builds rhythm ahead of their World Cup opener on 15 June against Ivory Coast.

Momentum is gathering, and Estupiñan looks ready to carry plenty of it into the tournament.

Bartesaghi goes the distance as Italy edge Greece

It was a different kind of night for Italy, but no less important. In an “experimental” side selected by coach Baldini, Davide Bartesaghi started again and stayed on the pitch for the full 90 minutes as Italy beat Greece 1-0.

No fireworks, no flood of goals. Just a tight, controlled performance that underlined Baldini’s willingness to trust new faces in pressured situations. Bartesaghi’s full match is a clear signal: he is not just passing through this squad; he is being tested, stretched, and relied upon.

The narrow victory follows another slim win over Luxembourg and quietly wraps up Italy’s latest friendly run. The margins have been small, but the message is clear: places are being earned, not given.