The Balkan team were ousted from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ukraine-c3032 hosted European Championship as they tasted 1-0 defeat in their Group C final match against Spain.
After starting Euro 2012 in high spirits with a 3-1 win over http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Italy-c2926 progressed to
the quarter-finals from Group C.
Despite the defeat, Bilic stated that he was pleased with the efforts of his players who went down against reigning champions with an 88th minute goal from Jesus Navas.
The player turned coach congratulated his charges for their impressive performance as he talked about the heartfelt defeat at the hands of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vicente-c36001 Del Bosque’s team.
Bilic especially highlighted the resilient defensive clinic his team put up against the onslaught from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/David-Silva-c10601 and Co., admitting that it was the attackers that came up short against the world champions.
"I want to congratulate my players. It was a heroic game but unfortunately we didn't win," Bilic said while talking to Croatian national TV channel, HRT.
"We defended very well, and we knew that we'll have our chances. We had the best ones in the match, but didn't use them. If we did we would be play in the quarter-finals."
Reflecting on the match, Bilic claimed that he tried every trick in his bag to overwhelm Spain in Gdansk but came short at the end.
Moreover, he stated that he hopes that Croatian team left their mark on the competition as he revealed that the Balkan representatives came to Poland and Ukraine with the ambitions of lifting the trophy on July 1.
"We tried everything. We defended, then we tried to press, to attack, everything was open, but at the end that was not enough."
"We came to win this Euro and the plan was not accomplished, but no matter, we left a good impression."
With http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Croatia-c2879 and Republic of Ireland dumped out of Euro 2012, Spain and Italy progress to the knockout rounds of the competition as Group C leaders and runners-up.
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