Vlasic helps Croatia knock out hosts Scotland, Kral’s Czech Republic lose to England

RPL Players: Croatia - Nikola Vlasic (CSKA), Dejan Lovren (Zenit); Czech Republic - Aleks Kral (Spartak)

Three RPL players saw their countries through to the knockout stages on Tuesday as they all faced British sides away from home. 

Nikola Vlasic broke the deadlock by scrambling home an early opener for Croatia from inside the area. Hosts Scotland were battling for their survival, needing a win to have a chance of a best third-placed side route to the Round of 16, and hit back just before half time through a Callum McGregor rocket.

After the break the 2018 World Cup finalists showed their class as Luka Modric slammed a solid shot to put them back in front, before Ivan Perisic glanced a cool header in off the post with less than quarter of an hour remaining.

In London, Aleks Kral’s Czech Republic had already qualified for the knockouts. Raheem Sterling planted a simple header in from a few yards out after just 12 minutes, before Spartak midfielder Kral came off the bench in the second half. 

Due to the swing in goal difference, the Czech Republic dropped to third place in Group D, while Croatia leapfrog them into second.

The Round of 16 begins on Saturday 26 June.