The Canadian defender frankly swam under pressure and set the team up at a crucial moment.
Despite the defeat from Belgium in the first round, at the start of the World Cup, the Canadian team gathered excellent press. Against the backdrop of widespread support, the head coach even allowed himself to speak rudely about the next rivals of the team – the Croats, greatly outraging the Balkan journalists and fans.
In fact, the players could not answer for the words of the coach. Canadians took to the field with a crazy attitude, but immediately burned out. Especially in this regard, Kamal Miller excelled – the player’s nerves passed in the first half. And in the very ending, the defender brought the stupidest goal at all, which fixed the defeat of the Canadians.
The player just framed the coach! Now the Croatian press will not let him down…
Indecent showdown
In the first round, the Croats rolled up sad zeros against Morocco. In contrast to this match, the battle between Belgium and Canada looked really powerful. More precisely, such an epithet could characterize the actions of the North Americans.
The bronze medalists of the last World Championship, who miraculously avoided failure in the first match, nevertheless confirmed their unpreparedness for the championship in the second round, losing to Morocco. But the Canadians promised Modric and partners a bright match.
Before the game with Croatia, English specialist John Herdman, who heads Canada, was very expressive. Using sexual overtones, he harshly and unethically stated that in the next game his players would win a victory over an opponent. The Europeans in their media responded immediately and also not particularly cultured, hinting at John’s lack of important reproductive organs.
In general, it was unpleasant and interesting to watch this showdown at the same time. One thing is clear – the skirmish gave incredible motivation to both one and the other. And there was intrigue.
Experience and skill
The beginning of the match was perfect for the Reds: already in the third minute, the main star of the team, Alphonso Davis, effectively drove the ball into Livakovic’s goal.
Open video
This attack, fast and accurate, showed the spirit with which Herdman’s team came out. And, perhaps, such a discouraging start would have worked on a less experienced opponent, but Croatia managed to immediately show its level and status. The “checkers” seized the initiative and began to methodically put pressure on the defense of the Canadians.
First Kramaric and then Levija pointed the Canadian players to their place. Still, North Americans only for the second time in history got into the final part of the tournament. Already in the 70th minute, Kramaric made a double, carefully putting the ball into the corner, and practically removed questions about the outcome of the match.
Open video
Outburst of emotions
It became clear that the Canadians could not cope with the mission to beat the Croats. Most of all, what was happening annoyed the central defender Kamal Miller. Even in the first half, with an equal score, he mercilessly pounded the lawn, although nothing had been lost for his team yet. Well, in the second half of the meeting, the 25-year-old Montreal player completely lost control of himself – in other words, he swam.
In a harmless episode, Miller pounced on the best player of the last World Cup, Modric, and pushed the short midfielder several times. It all looked stupid, since Luka was not going to prove anything to the giant from Canada, but this was no longer important to Kamal. It was necessary to put somewhere that charge of emotions that the coach awarded him and his partners before the match.
Open video
Unjustified rudeness in a few minutes returned like a boomerang to Miller. In the fourth added minute, he, remaining the last defender, waved past the ball and gave the Croats an exit together on the goalkeeper. Mayer easily converted the moment – 4:1.
Open video
It is noteworthy that this “import” did not cool the ardor of the defender. The last game action on the field symbolically ended with another beating of the grass by the football player. Apparently, Miller just lost his nerve: the player and his colleagues did not justify the trust of the coach and the experts’ advances, losing their chances of reaching the playoffs after the second round. And the last nail in the coffin was hammered, alas, by Kamal.
