Croatia coach Dalic slams 'worst set-piece defending' after England loss

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic expressed deep disappointment with his team's performance against England, particularly their defending of set-pieces. "We knew everything that was going to happen, we worked on it," Dalic told reporters. "I don't remember us ever having so many tall players, but never in my tenure have we defended set pieces this poorly." Despite pre-match preparation and the presence of tall players, Croatia conceded crucial goals from corners. Dalic noted that out of eight corners for England, six resulted in clear chances. "Everything came from set pieces," he lamented. The match saw England's Harry Kane score twice in the first half, with Croatia managing to equalize by halftime. However, a second-half goal from Jude Bellingham shifted the momentum. "That third goal killed us," Dalic said. "After that we couldn't manage anything. We even tried changing the system, but it's hard to keep coming back so many times. We lost to a faster, more aggressive and better opponent." Dalic, who has been in charge since 2017, defended his tactical decision to switch to a three-man defense, stating that the system was not to blame. "Against an opponent of this quality, you can't expect a good result when you gift them three goals," he asserted. "The problem isn't the system. You have to defend your goal with your life."

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We knew everything that was going to happen, we worked on it. I don't remember us ever having so many tall players, but never in my tenure have we defended set pieces this poorly.