A Jesus Navas 88th minute strike was enough to earn all three points on offer for Spain as they took on the challenge of Slaven Bilic’s Croatia.
With progress to Euro 2012 quarter-finals at stake, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Croatia-c2879 in their final Group C fixture. The defending champions managed to overcome the resilient Balkan outfit with a solitary strike from Sevilla winger, Jesus Navas, with two minutes of regulation
time remaining.
Reflecting on the match, Andres Iniesta admitted that La Roja were made to sweat it out in Gdansk by Slaven Bilic’s men, who put up a defensive master class for the duration of the match but were undone in the final minutes of the match.
He added that it was a tough encounter where both teams were close of clinching the victory and stated that it was the greater resolve of the Spanish team that allowed them to come on top against their rivals.
"Yes, we suffered. It was a tough and very difficult game for us. It's the kind of games where you are close... but not. And that is dangerous.”
"We are not machines. We've have said that Croatia have got young and very talented players. We had an important physical wear to resolve the game."
Jesus Navas’ goal was assisted by the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38604 midfielder, who magnanimously beat the offside trap and passed the ball to the Andalusian attacker to slot home from close range. Iniesta reflected that it was an instantaneous decision that he had to make
as Navas was in a better scoring position.
"It was spectacular, just in the right moment. Then, I saw Jesus Navas with the blink of an eye, and he just had to put it in."
When quizzed about who he would prefer to meet in the quarter-finals of the competition, Iniesta remarked that he is indifferent to whom Spain encounters next in the knockout rounds as every team who has progressed this far will be competitive and difficult
to break down.
"I [have] got no preferences. Both http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899 are very strong teams, but the most important thing is that Spain reaches well the next round."
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