VIDEO: Peru Down Croatia in World Cup Warm Up in Miami

(Photo: Seleccion Peruana/Twitter)

Disappointment for the contingent of Croatian fans who made the trip to Hard Rock stadium, the home of the Miami Dolphins, to watch Croatia take on Peru in a World Cup warm-up match on Friday night.

A rusty-looking Croatian side went down to Peru 2-0 thanks to goals from Carrillo and Flores either side of halftime.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic decided to start the match with his strongest side and opened with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Nikola Kalinic playing in the lone striker role.

(Photo: Seleccion Peruana/Twitter)

Playing in their new alternate black kit for the first time, Croatia was forced to do some defending early on and it was Subasic who had to make the first save of the match when Farfan fired from just outside the box.

Just a few minutes later in the 11th minute, Peru would take the lead after a Strinic mistake at the back saw the ball fall to Carrillo who made no mistake to make it 1-0.

Croatia’s first half-chance to level terms came in the 26th minute when Kalinic drew a foul right outside the box. Rakitic’s low shot to the right corner from the resulting free-kick was well kept out by Caceda in the Peru goal.

Croatia did find the back of the net just before halftime but Kalinic was ruled to have fouled his defender before guiding the ball in the back of the net.

Croatian fans in Miami (Photo: HNS/Twitter)

Peru didn’t need much time in the second half to double their lead when Flores finished off an impressive move which started in their own half.

Coach Dalic will have plenty to contemplate after tonight’s performance. The back four, which saw the return of Vedran Corluka after a long break through injury, look disorganised at times and it showed that they had not played as a unit for a long time.

Croatia failed to cause too much trouble for Peru in the second spell despite Dalic introducing Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic, Marko Pjaca and the in-form Andrej Kramaric, and Peru going down to 10-men when Yotun was sent off.

Modric and Perisic showed glimpses of their class in brief periods, and Kramaric looked dangerous on attack, but there was little much from anyone else of note.

(Photo: Seleccion Peruana/Twitter)

Croatia will face Mexico in Dallas on Tuesday with Dalic promising to give the rest of the squad game time.

CROATIA 0:2 PERU
Hard Rock Stadium
Miami

GOALS: Carrillo (11), Flores (47)

CROATIA: Subasic, Vrsaljko, Vida, Corluka, Strinic, Brozovic (Kovacic 55), Rakitic, Modric, Perisic (Rebic 78), Mandzukic (Pjaca 72), Kalinic (Kramaric 64)

PERU: Caceda; Advíncula, Santamaría, Ramos, Trauco; Tapia, Yotun; Carrillo, Flores, Cueva; Farfan

(Photo: HNS)