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Jelavic leads the line in style for Croatia

But no Gibson in Ireland's 3-1 defeat

Croatia kicked off their Euro 2012 campaign in Group C tonight in Poznan with Everton's Nikica Jelavic leading the line and scoring his first competitive goal for his country, under the coaching guidance of controversial ex-Everton figure Slaven Bilic. Croatia's opponents were the Republic of Ireland, both teams playing 4-4-2, and ex-Blue Richard Dunne gained his 76th senior cap but surprisingly for many Evertonians, the Irish side did not feature Darron Gibson, who is among the slew of unused substitutes on each side.

Croatia get off to a great start, Mandzukic scoring with a long-distance header that somehow beat Shay Given in the Irish goal after just 3 mins. But Ireland equalized with a superbly executed set-piece, Sean St Ledger heading home at the far post on 19 mins.

Amidst a tremendous atmospher building toward half-time, Nikica Jelavic, evading his persistent markers for once by standing well offside, benefited miraculously from a dreadful sliced clearance by Ward that looked like a perfect pass forward and the Everton man made no mistake, flicking the ball elegantly over Given in front of the rabid Irish fans.

Croatia pretty much wrapped things up when Shay Given was again left struggling to reach a Mandzukic header that cruelly hit the post, and rebounded into the net off his head.

Jelavic went off after 70 mins, to be replaced by Krancjar.

Full Time: Ireland 1 - 3 Croatia  

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