A fan enters onto the pitch to celebrates with Croatia's midfielder Luka Modric and his teammates. Photo: AFP
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https://scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1973854/euro-2016-modric-stunner-fires-croatia-past-turkey Football
Euro 2016: Modric stunner fires Croatia past Turkey
Real Madrid midfielder blasts in stunning volley
Croatia's midfielder Luka Modric celebrates. Photo: AFP
Croatia coach Ante Cacic hailed Luka Modric’s “magical” goal after the Real Madrid playmaker’s strike secured a 1-0 win over Turkey in his side’s Euro 2016 opener on Sunday.
Modric was voted man of the match after settling the Group D opener in Paris with a sweetly struck 41st-minute volley from outside the box that flashed past Turkey goalkeeper Volkan Babacan.
“Luka really deserves to be talked about, especially after this match,” Cacic told a press conference at Parc des Princes.
“It was one of his best matches in Croatia’s history. He was really playing well. He was really our leader.
“He scored a magical goal and at the end it was the only goal. We need Luka in this form. All the team looks better and more aggressive when he plays like that.”
Croatia, who twice hit the bar through Darijo Srna and Ivan Perisic, play the Czech Republic in their next game on Friday when Turkey face defending champions Spain.
The talent in both line-ups had raised hopes of an open contest and it took Croatia less than two minutes to threaten. Ivan Rakitic flung himself at Darijo Srna’s cross and hooked a volley across goal.
But the two teams’ determination to play through the middle of the pitch made for a narrow, niggly encounter at the Parc des Princes home of French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
When Croatia did procure sights of goal, their efforts went either too close to Turkey goalkeeper Volkan Babacan or too far from the target.
Turkey’s only opportunity of note in the first half saw Ozan Tufan meet Gokhan Gonul’s right-wing cross with a downward header that was awkwardly fielded by Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.
Modric illuminated the game with his deft flicks and surefooted touches, and with half-time approaching he provided the breakthrough.
Selcuk Inan appeared to have cleared the danger by hooking the ball high to the edge of the Turkey box, but Modric watched it drop before spearing an emphatic, dipping volley past Babacan from 25 yards. 
Turkey fans wave the national flag at the start of the Euro 2016 group D football match between Turkey and Croatia at Parc des Princes in Paris on June 12, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / BULENT KILIC
The replays did not make kind viewing for Babacan. There was embarrassment, too, for the tournament organisers as a fan ran on the pitch to embrace Modric and flares were let off in the Croatia end.
Turkey coach Terim made a change at half-time, sending on Volkan Sen for Oguzhan Ozyakup and moving captain Arda Turan infield to a number 10 position in a 4-2-3-1 system.
But Croatia continued to boss proceedings and Srna twice went close, first clipping the crossbar with a free-kick and then lashing wide left-footed after Babacan could only parry Ivan Perisic’s cross.
Marcelo Brozovic also threatened twice, volleying narrowly over and then just failing to make telling contact with a devilish cross from the hard-working Perisic, who later struck the bar with a glancing header.
The introduction of 18-year-old Emre Mor, the Denmark-born forward dubbed ‘The Turkish Messi’, drew roars of approval from Turkey’s fans.
Yet it was Croatia who came closest to scoring in the closing stages as Babacan tipped a header from Brozovic over the bar and then rushed out to thwart Perisic.