Croatia 4-0 Montenegro Player Ratings: Kristijan Jakic Rated 9.5/10 as Kockasti Crush 10-Man Montenegro in 4-0 Rout

It was a night of utter dominance at the Maksimir Stadium in Croatia. The Croatia national football team put on a footballing show, dismantling a struggling Montenegro side in a comprehensive 4-0 victory. This WC Qualification Europe clash was over as a contest long before the final whistle we must say since the very first minute it was evident that if the visitors have to scor,e they have to wait for a mistake made by the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finalist.

The writing was on the wall early. Croatia controlled the tempo, with the Real Madrid legend Luka Modric pulling the strings as he always does. The breakthrough felt inevitable and it arrived via a thunderbolt from Kristijan Jakic, our man of the match for this fixture. But the real turning point? Andrija Bulatovic's reckless challenge which earned him a second yellow just before halftime. Going down to ten men against a team of Croatia's quality is a death sentence.

The second half was merely a formality. Croatia toyed with their opponents, adding goals through Andrej Kramaric and a late strike from Ivan Perišić, with an unfortunate own goal sandwiched in between. It was a procession, a powerful statement of intent in this match that showcased the vast gulf in class between the two nations on the night.

Here are the Croatia Vs Montenegro Player Ratings

Croatia Player Ratings vs Montenegro

Here are Croatia Player Ratings vs Montenegro

Goalkeeper

Dominik Livakovic - 6.5: Had one of the easiest nights of his career. He only had one save to make all game. What stood out to us was his distribution, completing 9 of 11 passes. Mostly a spectator but did what little was asked of him with no fuss.

Defenders

Josip Stanisic - 8.5: An absolutely fantastic performance from the right-back. He was a constant creative force, bagging an assist and creating five chances. With 102 touches, he was always involved and his energy was infectious. A complete modern fullback display.

Duje Caleta-Car - 7.0: A solid outing, though he got a needless yellow card for handball. He was strong in the air winning 4 out of 5 aerial duels. Dominated his zone and passed the ball with 95% accuracy. The booking was the only minor blot on his copybook.

Josip Sutalo - 7.0: Like his partner, he was composed and untroubled. His passing was near-perfect at 97% accuracy. He made a crucial block and several clearances. We noticed he was rarely caught out of position, providing a secure base for the midfield to build from.

Kristijan Jakic - 9.5: Man of the Match, and it wasn't even close. He scored a stunning goal from outside the box to open the floodgates. His defensive numbers are just absurd 12 duels won, 6 tackles won, and 8 recoveries. He was an absolute monster all over the pitch, a truly complete performance.

Midfielders

Luka Modrić - 9.0: Ageless. The maestro conducted the orchestra with breathtaking ease. He had 114 touches, created five key passes and got an assist. From our perspective, he dictated every single attacking move Croatia made. It was a privilege to watch him play, he made the game look so simple.

Ivan Perišić - 8.0: A constant menace who finally got his deserved goal late on. He took six shots and was always looking to get in behind. He was a bit wasteful, missing two big chances, but his persistence paid off. A tireless and threatening performance from start to finish.

Mario Pasalić - 6.5: A quiet but effective game before being substituted. He linked play well and created a couple of chances. He didn't do anything wrong, but was overshadowed by the spectacular performances around him. A decent cog in a well-oiled machine.

Petar Sučić - 7.5: We were really impressed by this young man. He looked so comfortable in a star-studded midfield. His passing was crisp and progressive, with 94% accuracy. He showed great energy, recovering the ball and driving forward. A very promising display.

Forwards

Andrej Kramaric - 8.0: Got his goal with a classic poacher's finish. He was a constant thorn in Montenegro's side, taking six shots and always finding pockets of space. His movement off the ball was exceptional, constantly pulling defenders out of position.

Franjo Ivanović - 6.5: A frustrating night for the young forward. He worked incredibly hard and got into good positions but couldn't find the clinical touch. He won a decent number of duels but lost possession a bit too often for our liking. The effort was there, the end product wasn't.

Substitutes

Toni Fruk - 6.5: Came on and looked lively, immediately testing the keeper from distance. Kept the tempo high.

Ante Budimir - 6.0: Added a physical presence and had a header saved well. Did his job.

Martin Baturina - 6.5: Looked bright and eager to impress, firing a shot just wide.

Lovro Majer - 7.0: Made a real impact in his short time, forcing a good save from the keeper.

Nikola Moro - 6.0: Came on for Modrić to see the game out. Kept things ticking over.

Manager

Z. Dalić - 8.5: His game plan worked to perfection. He set his team up to dominate from the start and they delivered. His substitutions were logical, resting key players once the game was won. A flawless night at the office for the Croatian manager.

Montenegro Player Ratings vs Croatia

Here are Montenegro Player Ratings vs Croatia

Goalkeeper

Danijel Petkovic - 7.5: This might seem like a crazy high rating for a keeper who conceded four, but it's deserved. He made an incredible nine saves, seven from inside the box. Without him, this would have been a historic humiliation. He was left completely exposed but stood tall. Easily Montenegro's best player.

Defenders

Igor Vujacic - N/A: Heartbreak for the defender who was forced off with an injury just seven minutes into the match.

Stefan Savic - 5.0: A very tough evening for the experienced defender. He looked a step off the pace and was chasing shadows for most of the game. He made a couple of blocks but was part of a defense that was completely overwhelmed. The yellow card summed up his frustrating night.

Nikola Sipcic - 6.5: Fought a losing battle with immense spirit. He made four blocked shots and five clearances, including one off the line. He won the majority of his duels and was constantly throwing his body in the way. A courageous performance in impossible circumstances.

Midfielders

Driton Camaj - 5.0: Offered very little going forward and struggled to contain Croatia's attacks down his flank. He lost possession 12 times and couldn't make any real impact on the game before being substituted.

Milos Brnovic - 5.5: Chased shadows in the midfield. He was tidy enough on the ball when he had it, but that wasn't often. The game completely passed him by as Modrić and co. ran rings around him.

Andrija Bulatovic - 3.0: The worst performer on the pitch. He completely let his team down. His two reckless fouls resulted in a red card just before halftime, effectively ending any slim hope Montenegro had. A moment of madness that killed the game.

Milan Roganovic - 5.5: Ran his socks off but was simply outclassed. He was dribbled past multiple times and couldn't get a foothold in the game. You can't fault his effort, but the quality gap was enormous.

Forwards

Stevan Jovetić - 5.0: The captain was isolated and starved of service. He touched the ball just 39 times before being subbed off with an injury. He couldn't influence the game at all, a passenger in a sinking ship.

Nikola Krstović - 5.5: Ploughed a lonely furrow up front. He was caught offside twice and had one shot on target. He worked hard and tried to hold the ball up, but he was fighting a one-man battle against a sea of Croatian defenders.

Milan Vukotic - 5.0: Completely anonymous. He touched the ball only 16 times in his 46 minutes on the pitch. Made no impact whatsoever and was hooked at halftime.

Substitutes

Slobodan Rubezic - 5.0: Thrown into the fire early on and had a torrid time.

Marko Bakic - 5.5: Brought on at halftime but couldn't change the tide.

Andrija Vukcevic - 5.5: Added fresh legs but the game was already gone.

Stefan Loncar - 5.5: Worked hard but couldn't get near the Croatian midfield.

Edvin Kuc - 5.0: A night to forget for him, capped by an unfortunate own goal.

Manager

R. Prosinečki - 5.0: What can you even say? His game plan went out the window after the early injury and was then set on fire by the red card. His team looked disorganized and demoralized. A brutal night for the manager against his home country.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Kristijan Jakic