"Croatia's relentless pressure in the final third has finally broken down Germany's defense for the first goal!"
"Srna's burst down the wing delivered the fatal blow to Germany!"
The British commentators shouted with excitement.
After being knocked out of the Euro qualifiers, England had become the laughingstock of Europe.
But with Croatia's success, England's own poor performance was becoming a bit less embarrassing.
As for Russia? The British simply chose to ignore them.
Guest pundit Arsène Wenger nodded:
"Croatia's high press made it extremely difficult for Germany to build up from the back. Ballack couldn't get the ball, and once he dropped deeper, it became even harder for him to rejoin the attack. Croatia handled that excellently—even when they foul, they never allow Ballack to cross into their half and launch a counter."
"On the attacking end, Germany's focus on Šuker is backfiring. That's the advantage of having a player like Šuker!"
"Opponents have to decide: how much attention should go to Šuker? Not enough, and you can't stop him. Too much, and the rest of Croatia starts to take over—just like we're seeing now!"
"And finally, there's the coaching. It's obvious Croatia were better prepared—and more confident!"
Wenger's analysis was spot on, but his heart was heavy.
Had he not pushed so hard to build Arsenal's new stadium, had he stood firm and brought Šuker to the Gunners—what might have been?
Now Arsenal had a shiny new stadium… but they were steadily losing their competitiveness.
Even Thierry Henry had left, chasing a Champions League title in Barcelona, leaving both Arsenal and the Premier League behind.
Would more players follow that same path?
Wenger was exhausted.
Watching Šuker now, he couldn't help but wonder—if he had insisted on signing him back then, would things have turned out differently?
But regrets don't change the past.
He sighed quietly.
"I'm getting old."
In the past, he dreamed only of the future.
Now, he kept looking back at his regrets.
Meanwhile, Italian commentators Aldo Serena and Carlo Ancelotti sat in the stands.
Watching Šuker's performance, Ancelotti smiled with satisfaction.
"Look at that—that's my masterpiece, the best striker in the world!"
"Coach, if you were managing Germany, what would you do right now?"
Ancelotti answered firmly:
"If it were me, I'd make substitutions immediately. Germany's tactical setup was flawed from the beginning. Croatia has incredible attacking power—if you show weakness, they'll only attack harder. Germany needs to fight back with spirit!"
"Right now, they've conceded one goal and are in a tough spot."
"Their only real chance to turn it around is through the front line!"
"Klose is a top finisher, but he needs space. Playing him in line with Gómez restricts his game. Gómez should drift wide, drag defenders, and open lanes. Podolski too."
"Germany's back line can't build up properly—that's a systemic problem. Ballack needs to play higher up the pitch, and the team should use long balls to bypass midfield and feed the attack. That will unlock both Ballack's surging runs and Klose's finishing instincts!"
"Right now, Germany looks lost. They're not committing to any clear tactic."
Back on the pitch, German players watched Mandžukić and Šuker fall back to their own half.
Their expressions were filled with confusion.
On one hand, the coach was calling for conservative tactics.
On the other, their captain Ballack kept pushing for a high press and attack.
One wanted defense. The other—though appearing defensive—kept looking for ways to attack.
This disconnect between coach and captain left the team torn.The result? Poor execution across the board.
Lahm frowned.
He hated this feeling.
If Schweinsteiger were on the pitch, he might have helped calm the situation.
But Schweinsteiger had received a red card in the previous match and was suspended—another reason why Germany was now in such a bind.
Lahm also felt Ballack was being too stubborn.
As captain, he had failed to maintain harmony in the locker room and instead led a revolt against the coach.
That, in Lahm's eyes, was the root of their tactical confusion.
But Lahm had no real say in the team yet.
He could only watch.
The match resumed.
Germany, trailing, launched a desperate counterattack.
But the more they pressed, the fiercer Croatia's counter-attacks became.
Ballack was giving everything he had.
But he was just one man.
When his passing lanes were cut off, there was no one nearby to support him.
He tried to break through Croatia's press—but one man couldn't do it alone.
Modrić, Vukojević, and Rakitić—these three were the backbone of top-tier European teams.
Their game sense was excellent. They were young, yes—but they were experienced.
Rakitić was perhaps the least seasoned of the trio.
But Modrić and Vukojević—this defensive midfield duo had both been forged in the Champions League.
Vukojević had already excelled as a lone defensive midfielder at Lyon.
Now with Modrić beside him, his form hadn't dropped one bit.
Bang!Vukojević crashed into Ballack. As Ballack briefly lost control, Modrić darted in and pulled the ball away.
Three quick passes in their own half—and Modrić had shaken off the press and turned toward goal.
Šuker drifted wide. Kranjčar moved along the flank. Rakitić and Mandžukić pinned back the defenders.
Four attackers—all dragging Germany's attention.
"Šuker!"
Modrić passed forward.
Šuker controlled the ball. Srna was already overlapping, forcing Lahm to drop back and worry about another one-two.
But Šuker had other ideas.
He pulled the ball back and spun toward the opposite side—looking to Kranjčar.
He faked a shot—causing Frings to bite—then cut the ball back and exploded forward.
Šuker was now charging down the half-space.
Srna was tearing down the right.Mandžukić held the center.Kranjčar lurked at the far post.
But the key was—Rakitić had pulled back.
"Perfect run!"
Šuker praised him silently and slid the ball sideways.
Rakitić, completely unmarked, was already adjusting his steps.
This time, he wouldn't miss.
As the ball approached, Rakitić had already planted his right foot and leaned into the shot with his left—keeping his body over the ball to keep it down.
Bang!The ball curled past Mertesacker toward the left post.
Clang!It hit the post, bounced—off the turning Mertesacker's leg—and flew past the sprawling goalkeeper into the net.
"GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Another one!"
"34th minute!"
"Croatia's attack has broken through again. Taking advantage of Germany's defensive disarray, they've pulled two goals ahead!"
"Germany is teetering on the edge of a cliff. Can they come back from a two-goal deficit?"
German fans stared in disbelief.
They were Germany, after all—the mighty "German Tank."
How had it come to this?
Sure, Croatia were the new rising stars—but Germany were an elite footballing nation!
And now—these youngsters had dismantled them.
Yes—dismantled.
To the fans, Germany's performance felt completely off.
Lack of cohesion, poor tactical execution, low energy—it all added up to their counterattacks fizzling out.
Down two goals in the first half, Germany was now fully on the back foot.
For Croatia, it was the opposite.They were playing even better than expected.
A two-goal cushion gave them full control of the match.
If they won this second group-stage game, they'd secure early qualification for the knockout rounds.
A massive boost—for the players, the fans, and the team's morale.