HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) – The following is reaction to the 2-2 draw between Croatia and Albania in Euro 2024 Group B on Wednesday.
Albania manager Sylvinho: “I am very happy with the team, I think we have deserved (the result). We played with heart. We fought with heart and it is exactly what represents this nation.
“This point will serve this team for the rest of their life. We are a young national team, this is only the second time being in this competition, we have to enter the pitch and use every moment to fight with heart and to take lessons from Euro.
“This is a game that I will remember all my life.”
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic: “This was a difficult match, with two totally different halves. A lot of energy was invested to lead 2-1 and then we get goal in added time. It is difficult to get a goal in the last minute.
“The first half was very bad and the second much better, which is encouraging for the match with Italy, the victory over Italy will take us further. We are still in game, we shall prepare and do all in our power to go on.”
Croatia’s Andrej Kramaric, player of the match: “In the first half, we couldn’t create anything. In the second half, of course it was a different image. We were much more aggressive, dominant.
“What I want to say is that this is football, this is why everyone loves football. In the last seconds, sometimes you score a goal to win, sometimes you concede, unfortunately that is what happened to us.”
Albanian midfielder Qazim Laci who opened the scoring in the 11th minute: “This result will give us a confidence to move forward, to believe in ourselves.
“The game with Spain will be more difficult but we will give the maximum to have a victory.”
Albanian midfielder Klaus Gjasula, whose own goal put Croatia ahead before he netted the added time equaliser: “2-2 is okay. With a little luck we could had scored the third one also.
“We know that the game with Spain is very difficult but in football everything is possible. If we will play like today everything can happen.”
Luka Sucic, Croatian midfielder: “The disappointment is huge, something like this must not happen to a team like us, we were leading and should have ended this calmly, but this is a lesson to learn.
“The second half was better, it is a direction how to start against the Italians. I believe in our qualities, I am an optimist, if we play like in the second half we will surely pass this group.”
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Toby Chopra)
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