Rakitic sets Croatia on way to easy victory

Two goals in each half gave Croatia a 4-0 victory over Andorra in their Group Six World Cup qualifier in Zagreb yesterday. Croatia's manager Slaven Bilic fielded an attacking formation with three forwards, but the scoring was opened by the midfielder Ivan Rakitic's superb 20-yard freekick in the 16th minute.

Luka Modric had a 32nd-minute penalty saved by Jesus Alvarez after Victor Rodriguez's foul, but Ivica Olic slotted home the rebound to make it 2-0 at the break.

The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Modric poached a deflected cross from just inside the box to score the third on 75 minutes while Rakitic added his second from the penalty spot three minutes from time after Ildefons Lima's late tackle on Mario Mandzukic.

Three members of the outclassed Andorra side – Lima, Victor Rodriguez and Josep Ayala – were booked as Croatia went some way to making up for disappointing recent results against Ukraine (0-0) and England (a 4-1 defeat). The win leaves them second in Group Six.

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