Tactical Analysis: Croatia vs. Scotland

Coming into this final Group D game at Hampden Park, the stakes were high for both Scotland and  Croatia and the terms were as clear as the Glasgow skies; win and advance to the next round, draw and both get knocked out. The importance of the game was evident in the urgency displayed early on by both sides. Scotland especially started well, feeding off the energy of their home fans, John McGinn forced the first save of the game from Dominik Livakovic 6 minutes in.

A wave of Scottish attacks followed so it was only right (going by Scotland's traditional bad luck) that Croatia found the back of the net with their first meaningful attack in the 17th minute after Nikola Vlasic finished off a well-worked move.

Buoyed by the goal, Croatia instantly established their status as the better team controlling the game from that point onward up until the 42nd minute when Callum McGregor fired Scotland back into the game with a low drive from 20-yards out which sent a majority of the 10,000 fans present at Hampden Park into delirium.

The goal was their first of this tournament and the 5th goal Scotland have ever scored in Euros history. Callum McGregor joins Paul McStay, Brian McClair, Gary McAllister and Ally McCoist as the only players to score a goal for Scotland at the Euros. Only the Wu-Tang clan can boast of a more stacked group of MCs.