A thunderous cheer erupted from the Croatian fans, rolling across the entire stadium like a tidal wave.
They screamed at the top of their lungs.
Their faces were flushed red from yelling, their voices hoarse, yet there was no sign of stopping.
For a full 18 minutes, they had been under constant pressure. But they seized a critical counterattack opportunity and scored a goal.
And with this goal, Croatia gained a huge advantage.
It lifted their spirits and allowed them to relax a little.
"Beautiful! Beautiful! That was f***ing beautiful!"
On the sidelines, Bilic frantically pumped his arms in the air, passionately celebrating.
What a crucial goal this was!Before it happened, they had been heavily suppressed. Even right before Suker drove into the box, no one thought they'd actually score.
But the goal came—just like that.
While Suker's performance in the attack was spectacular, it was Mandzukic's touch that was the real key.
That brilliantly subtle first touch delivered Croatia a pivotal goal.
As the roaring cheers filled the stadium, the Croatian players fell back.
Suker slung an arm around Mandzukic's neck, rubbing his head vigorously.
"But… that first touch from Mario must've been lucky, right?"
On the bench, Dujmovic stroked his chin and said, "He's never done anything like that before."
Mandzukic and Suker had tried similar plays in training,but Mandzukic always needed two touches—one to control, another to pass or play the ball.
Not like this time, where he delivered it perfectly with just one.
So Dujmovic had every reason to believe it was pure luck.
But so what if it was?
Luck is part of skill too!
It just meant Lady Luck was on their side.
"Come on, boys!"
Dujmovic shouted from the sidelines.
At that moment, the Croatian players were fired up.
For the first time, they could clearly feel how close they were to reaching the World Cup semi-finals, matching their best-ever finish.
"Scoring is great, but we can't relax," Van Stoyak said as he looked toward the German half.
For 18 minutes, Germany had been pressing hard, relentlessly attacking the Croatian penalty area.
Though Suker's drop back had helped regain some midfield control, the Germans had adjusted accordingly.
They kept lobbing high balls into the box and stationed a receiver outside, with both full-backs pushing up to maintain possession.
Croatia's goal did have a bit of luck to it.
Otherwise, Germany likely would've kept the pressure on.
Compared to two years ago, this German team had undergone a complete transformation.
They played more freely and creatively, combining their trademark discipline with greater technical fluidity and forward runs.
Croatia's task now was to hold their lead for the rest of the first half.
It was going to be tough.
But it had to be done.
Van Stoyak wasn't planning to make any substitutions yet.
On the pitch, play resumed.
Germany stayed composed after kickoff, sticking to their offensive rhythm and continuing to threaten Croatia's goal.
In a VIP suite, Mourinho exhaled deeply."Croatia may have the lead, but the momentum clearly favors Germany."
"Pranjić and Ćorluka still can't handle Germany's wingers," Mendes said.
Mourinho replied, "That's not fair. They're doing well enough, but they lack coordination—or rather, proper leadership. That's where Srna comes in. He's not just a full-back. He's the one organizing the back line."
"At Inter, everyone said Maicon was the full-back prototype, but I trusted Srna more. He could build a defensive system. He's always composed and gives his teammates the right instructions to shut down attacks."
"Against Argentina and Portugal, Srna did an excellent job shutting down the flanks. But fans don't realize: Croatia's entire defense depends on his leadership."
Mendes: "Is that why you wanted to bring Srna to Real Madrid?"
Mourinho nodded. "Exactly. He's essential to constructing a defense."
Mendes turned to the pitch.
"So, do you favor Germany?"
Mourinho smiled. "On paper—yes, based on tactics and stats. But…"
He paused. "Croatia has a player who's playing above this level."
"Suker?"
Mendes blurted the name out, then sighed regretfully. "If only I'd discovered him first…"
Not signing Suker was a huge loss for any agent.
And it had ended up benefiting that bastard Zorančić.
To Mendes, Zorančić was just a second-generation agent riding his father's coattails.
Even though the guy was expanding his business, Mendes would never admit he was any good.
What Mendes didn't know was that in a suite just a few rooms away, Zorančić and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez were also in South Africa watching the match.
"Suker has been phenomenal!"Florentino praised.
Signing Suker was arguably Florentino's best transfer move yet.
Even though it required a hefty investment, the return had been massive.
Last season, Suker won the La Liga Golden Boot, the league title, the Copa del Rey, and was the Champions League's top scorer.
And now, in this World Cup, he had seven goals in five matches, topping the scoring chart.
The all-time record for most goals in a single World Cup is 13, set in 1958 by French striker Just Fontaine in six games.
That's still a long way off.
But the context matters.
The 1958 World Cup was the "era of superstars," with nascent tactics and loose defending that allowed prolific scoring.
Put Fontaine in today's game, with its coordinated pressing, zonal marking, and tactical discipline, and he might not even score a handful.
That's what made Suker's seven goals in five tough matches even more impressive.
They were earned, not gifted.
By the 31st minute, Germany's attacks grew fiercer.
Croatia responded with some threatening counterattacks, but the German defense held firm.
Even while trailing, Germany played calmly and smoothly.And as time passed, they got even better.
Bang!!
Lahm unleashed a long-range shot, firing the ball toward the top-right corner of the Croatian goal.
It was so sudden that many Croatian players didn't even react.
But then—two giant hands appeared in the path of the ball.
Croatian goalkeeper Pletikosa leapt and barely tipped the ball over the bar.
"Holy sh*t!"
"Damn! Wall of a keeper!"
"He stopped that?!"
"No way!"
Players from both teams were stunned.
Lahm's shot was sharp and unexpected, but Pletikosa still managed to respond.
Unlike outfield positions, a goalkeeper's prime is different.
They rely more on experience, so ages 27–33 are considered the golden years for goalkeepers.
Pletikosa, at 31, was right in that prime.
His performance this World Cup had been solid, and this match in particular was full of incredible saves.
After landing, Pletikosa clapped his gloves and shouted, "Heads up! Don't let Lahm take those shots so easily!"
The Croatian players nodded quickly.
Lahm's shooting was always dangerous.
He was stopped this time—but maybe not next time.
This had to be cut off at the source.
Another German corner.
The Croatian players fell back to mark their men.
"Stay tight!"
Suker stood next to Mertesacker, arms outstretched to block him and keep him from making a run.
Mertesacker, at 1.98 meters, towered over Suker by a full head. He was a classic German defender—physically dominant, not very agile, but deadly in set pieces.
On the other end, Simunić was marking Klose.
Those two were Germany's biggest aerial threats.
"This is Germany's fifth corner of the game. They're relying more on aerial attacks, combining it with ground play. Their tactic of lofting the ball into the box has left Croatia struggling!"
Every German header brought massive pressure.
And just like this time—when Özil took the corner, Klose darted to the near post. Simunić and Kovač rushed to block him.
Suker and Mertesacker were wrestling in the box.
Suker didn't watch the ball—he just watched his man.
When the kick was delivered, his arms went from loose to locked, wrapping around Mertesacker like a wrestling move, holding him firmly in place.
There was nothing Mertesacker could do.
But then—Schweinsteiger suddenly appeared, sprinting into the space Klose had left.
Suker's heart dropped.
Schweinsteiger jumped and headed the ball toward the far post.
Pletikosa dove—just managed to tip it—
The ball struck the far post and bounced out.
Right to Podolski.
"Ćorluka!"
Suker shouted.
Ćorluka charged in, trying to block, not letting Podolski shoot.
Podolski faked—switched to his right foot—pulled away from the defender—and blasted a powerful close-range shot.
No finesse, just brute force.
At that moment, the Croatian defense was in chaos.Even the keeper was out of position.
They could only watch the ball fly in.
Swish!The net rippled.
36th minute—Germany scored on their fifth corner kick to equalize.
"Beautiful!! Lukas Podolski! Perfect execution—he nets a crucial goal to bring Germany level!"
"Fifth time's the charm! We finally got the goal—fantastic!"
The German commentator shouted with joy.
The equalizer finally validated all of Germany's earlier dominance.
In the Croatian commentary booth, Krausević shook his head and sighed."We focused too much on Mertesacker and Klose, and left Schweinsteiger unmarked. His header broke our defensive shape, which led to Podolski's goal."
"Germany's aerial tactics finally paid off."
On the pitch, Podolski sprinted around in celebration.
His teammates chased after him, cheering wildly.
Suker squatted down, breathing hard.
"Damn, this is tough…"
The Germans were too disciplined.It was almost impossible to force mistakes.
Even under high pressing, they always made the right choice.
If they had to clear it—they cleared it. No hesitation.
That discipline and precision was ingrained into their DNA, and it was on full display.
The goal they conceded? Inevitable.
Germany had corner after corner, bombarding Croatia's box.
There was no real way to stop it.
"We need more height. Let's send in Dapic!"Bilic said urgently.
Dapic was another tall Croatian center-back—1.92 meters—ideal for aerial duels.
"No good!" Van Stoyak frowned."Two slow, bulky center-backs? That's inviting Podolski and Müller to make darting runs. If we lose Kovač's pressing in midfield, Germany will just switch to low passes and walk into the box!"
"Löw wants us to make that change, so he can counter immediately."
Van Stoyak glanced across the field and saw Löw standing on the sideline, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together.
"What do we do then?" Bilic asked.
Van Stoyak pressed his lips together and said grimly, "We tell the players to hold on. Ten minutes until halftime. In these ten minutes, they need to press even harder. Maybe not win the ball—but stop the crosses!"
Bilic nodded. "Got it!"
He ran to the touchline and shouted instructions.
On the field, the Croatian players got the signal and switched tactics.
They were going to take the beating.
Van Stoyak turned back, a hint of dread in his eyes.
He had thought putting Suker in the midfield would give them control.
He hadn't expected Germany to neutralize their strategy so easily—with just aerial balls.
He had been outmaneuvered.
It was the first time Van Stoyak had been tactically suppressed like this.
That's why Croatia had been so passive.
Luckily, they scored a goal that steadied the ship.
Now they just had to hold on till halftime, and adjust during the break.
"Hang in there!"
Van Stoyak clenched his fist tightly.
On the pitch, Croatia restarted—but Germany's high press won the ball back immediately.
Croatia's passes started getting sloppy under pressure.
But they didn't care about possession anymore.
Their focus now was pure defense.
"Run! Keep running!"
Suker shouted as he sprinted, urging teammates to move.
The entire Croatian team began sprinting and pressing.Every time a German received the ball, a Croatian was on him.
Their aggressive running made it nearly impossible for Germany to find space for a shot.
Germany was forced into endless passes, just looking for an opening.
And Croatia? Kept closing in. Pressing. Blocking.
"This is more like it!"
In the VIP box, Mourinho nodded.
Now that's an Eastern European team.
If you don't run, what are you saving your energy for?
Eastern European football was about grit, endurance.Once they bite down, they're like wolves—never letting go.
Relentless pressing. Tireless running.Chipping away at the opponent until they can't breathe anymore.
Bang!
Suddenly—chaos broke out on the field.
Özil tried to turn—but Suker came out of nowhere and body-checked him to the ground, then took the ball and passed it to Mandzukic.
As Suker tried to follow up—he was tripped.
Özil hooked him with his ankle, refusing to let him go.
Suker fell—but kicked hard on the way down.
"I'll give you one back!"
Even Mourinho's eyes widened at the sudden escalation.
Weren't they supposed to slow the pace and choke the opponent's rhythm?
Now they were stabbing them in the lung!
Up front, Mandzukic passed quickly to Olić.
Olić sprinted after the ball—but just as he was about to reach it, a figure came flying in and cleared it.
"Who the hell is that defender?!" Mandzukic shouted instinctively.
Then he realized—that wasn't a defender.
That was Neuer.
What the hell?!
The guy ran all the way out of the box to slide tackle!
After the tackle, Neuer jumped up, chased the ball, and booted it out of bounds—then sprinted back to his goal.
Olić lay on the ground, shaking his head.
He'd forgotten—
His club teammate was the guy guarding Germany's goal, and his range was unreal.
Sweeper Keeper Neuer—was starting to shine.
"NEUER!! Brilliant decision-making! Brave tackle! He shut down a dangerous Croatian counterattack at its source! Beautiful work!"