Match Report
18 points separated the sides: Croatia 1st on 23, Cyprus 5th on 5. Cyprus ranked just 47th in the league on five-round form despite their 5th table position. In league terms the two rates read 0.4/2.1 for Cyprus and 2.1/0.4 for Croatia (scored/conceded per game); the competition average is 1.53.
Three consecutive defeats weighed on Cyprus. Croatia had not won in 5 games.
Neo GSP in Nicosia, capacity 8,000, hosted the game. Half-time and full-time told different stories: Croatia led 1-0 at the break, before 2 more goals closed it at 0-3.