Job done for Serbia and Montenegro

Slim hopes
Home hopes had seemed slim before today's contest in Velika Gorica after Croatia lost 3-1 in Belgrade on Saturday. However, Croatia forward Eduardo Da Silva cut the overall deficit to just one goal in the fifth minute. The visitors refused to be cowed though and equalised through Milan Biševac before Milan Stepanov's decisive strike in the 87th minute.

Assistants in charge
Croatia were without coach Slaven Bilić as he recovers from back surgery while his No2 Aljoša Asanović was suspended after his dismissal during the first leg. Therefore, Ivica Grnja and Marijan Mrmić were in charge of the team although they at least had the luxury of calling up senior-squad star Niko Kranjčar to boost their challenge.

Several missing
Serbia and Montenegro, meanwhile, were missing midfielder Dejan Miladinović through injury along with the suspended quartet of Boško Janković, Miloš Krasić, Danko Lazović and Simon Vukčević. Dragomir Okuka's men then saw their aggregate lead cut to just one goal almost immediately when Eduardo, scorer of Croatia's consolation four days ago, struck from Vedran Ćorluka's pass.

Chance spurned
The optimism was to last 16 minutes before Biševac's quickfire shot from a corner found its way into the Croatian net. The home side were not out of it entirely, however, with Eduardo spurning a chance for a second three minutes later, with Vladimir Stojković pulling off a great save.

Late counterattack
Serbia and Montenegro, runners-up in the 2003 finals, proved resolute from then on, choosing only to commit men forward on the counterattack. From one such move, they finally wrapped up the tie in the dying moments with Stepanov pouncing after a poor clearance from Croatia goalkeeper Tomislav Vranjić.