Gibraltar concedes seven against Croatia but are more offensive than ever

Gibraltar 0
Croatia 7
Venue: Faro, Gibraltar

Playing against Modrić’s Croatia, it was a surprise to many to see Gibraltar’s interim head coach, Scott Wiseman, opt for an offensive midfield. Although realistic in their prospects, Gibraltar were not looking to defend passively, but to take the game to their opponents when opportunities arose.

Ten years since Gibraltar last faced Croatia, only two players in the squad had survived the changes that have taken place since. Jamie Coombes, now playing semi-professional football in Australia, and Liam Walker—the latter being the only one to make the starting eleven.

There was some good news for Gibraltar, with legendary player Luka Modrić starting on the bench. However, Croatia showed no signs of underestimating their opponents. Even before kick-off, it was clear they were focused on the task ahead—qualifying for the World Cup, where every point and goal counts.

For Gibraltar, this was one of the biggest tests for some of the players. Youngsters Jessop, Bartolo, Richards, and Mauro were trusted to take the field and showcase their skills against the 2018 World Cup finalists. Seven of Gibraltar’s starting eleven play outside the domestic football league.

It was another disappointment for Gibraltar fans, who were again forced to travel to Faro, Portugal, to watch their national side. A decade later, Gibraltar still lacks a home stadium suitable for hosting teams of Croatia’s calibre. Croatia were believed to have initially requested 6,000 tickets—though attendance figures did not reflect that number.

The opening minutes were tentative, with Croatia dominating possession and testing Gibraltar before registering their first attempt—an off-target shot that flew into an empty stand behind Banda’s goal.

Despite the defensive responsibilities, Gibraltar’s advanced formation allowed them occasional chances to push forward. De Barr twice stole possession around the halfway line, but twice failed to get past defenders as he stumbled on the ball.

Lope made a timely intervention in the 7th minute, blocking a shot just in front of the goal line after Banda had been beaten by Pongračić.

Budimir appealed for a penalty moments later, claiming to have been pulled down by Lope, but play continued.

A long punt from Banda set up Gibraltar’s first real chance. De Barr controlled well on the edge of the box, and after a couple of passes, Bartolo received the ball on the right, sending a low shot just wide of the post, with Livaković beaten.

Croatia continued to press but Gibraltar refused to sit deep. Instead, they were determined to force their way into Croatia’s half and disrupt the rhythm.

In the 21st minute, Gibraltar earned a corner after a sustained spell of pressure. The cross flashed across the face of goal but wasn’t met by anyone, going out for a goal kick.

As the half-hour mark approached and without much progress made, Croatia’s head coach was seen pacing the technical area.

A neat passing move between De Barr and Scanlon saw the latter arrive at the edge of the box, only to be stopped in his tracks by a firm challenge.

Any belief that Gibraltar were holding their own was dealt a blow when Pašalić beat Mauro in the air to head past Banda.

Just a minute later, some untidy defending during a corner allowed Budimir to get a touch on a Pašalić shot and beat Banda again for Croatia’s second.

With just thirty minutes played, Gibraltar’s earlier resolve began to falter, and Croatia seized control.

Croatia nearly made it 3-0 in the 36th minute, but Sučić’s goal was ruled out for offside—a decision confirmed by VAR.

Banda then denied Pongračić after a chipped ball from Sučić found him unmarked. Mauro followed up with a crucial clearance at the back post after a cross had beaten the keeper.

Two minutes into injury time, Banda again stood firm, blocking a header from Stanišić following a delivery from Majer.

At halftime, Gibraltar made their first substitution, with De Barr replaced by Torrilla—adding more defensive stability to the midfield.

Early in the second half, Croatia’s Kramarić fired a shot across goal from a tight angle, frustrating Sučić who was unmarked in the center.

Mauro’s determination to block a Sučić shot led to a deflection and a corner.

Jessop recorded Gibraltar’s first attempt of the second half, though his shot went wide.

Despite Croatia’s dominance, Gibraltar showed a new approach, pressing higher and pushing into the Croatian half when in possession. The defensive posture from the Ribas era seemed abandoned in favor of a more proactive style.

This paid off in some ways, as Croatia stayed cautious, keeping numbers at the back and leaving more open spaces on the field.

A confident move saw Mauro collect deep, drive through midfield, and find Bartolo, whose attempt on goal capped a four-pass move down the left flank.

However, Gibraltar were unfortunate to concede a third in the 59th minute. After wasting a free-kick opportunity, Walker’s delivery was easily caught by the keeper. Croatia launched a quick counter, with Ivanović breaking down the left and scoring from a tight angle, beating Banda and Annesley—who couldn’t recover in time and was injured in the process.

Two substitutions followed for Gibraltar, with Valarino and Carrington coming on for Annesley and Ronan.

Croatia added a fourth shortly after, with Carrington losing his marker and allowing Ivanović to score his second in three minutes.

To reinforce their dominance, Croatia introduced Luka Modrić. For many Gibraltar players, this was the highest-caliber opponent they had faced.

Despite the scoreline, Gibraltar showed commendable spirit, maintaining composure and avoiding a total collapse.

Croatia added a fifth in the 73rd minute, with a well-placed cross finding Perišić, who volleyed in behind the defense.

Gibraltar’s young players continued to show intent, with Bartolo chasing what looked like a lost ball in the attacking third.

But fatigue set in, and Croatia took advantage of the open field and Modrić’s distribution. Kramarić added a sixth and quickly followed up with a seventh in the 78th minute, slicing through Gibraltar’s defense with speed and precision.

The gulf in quality, experience, and fitness became apparent in the final stages. Still, Gibraltar’s offensive approach saw them enter the opponent’s half more frequently, with more goal attempts than in some recent Nations League matches. Their 35% possession was nearly triple what they had recorded against teams like the Netherlands and France.

Banda made a fine save from Modrić with five minutes remaining, before Wiseman replaced Walker with Bent to freshen up the defense.

In the final minutes of injury time, youngster Jessop made a bold run from deep, drawing a foul deep in Croatia’s half. Moments later, Bent had a shot blocked as Gibraltar surged forward once more.

A 7-0 defeat may look heavy on paper, but Gibraltar’s approach showed significant progress. The players were given more freedom and showed more confidence in attack, resulting in better statistics than previous “park the bus” tactics.

With 242 completed passes, three goal attempts, and 35% possession—though still far from Croatia’s numbers—this was a step forward for Gibraltar.

Scott Wiseman emphasized that the performance held many positives to carry into their next match, against the Faroe Islands.