Czech Republic 2-2 Croatia, Euro 2016: Czechs comeback after game stopped for flares and fighting

Thanks for joining me this afternoon. You can now join my colleague Nick Howson for Spain vs Turkey.

What a strange ending that was to a game that seemed to be comfortably wrapped up by Croatia at 2-0. Croatia had dominated but then Modric came off with what looked like a slight thigh twinge, the Czechs got into the game, scored twice, intersected by a stoppage for Croatian fans throwing flares onto the field and then fighting among themselves. The game finished ten minutes after the scheduled end, and the points shared.

RESULT: Czech Republic 2-2 Croatia

Croatia boot the ball away but the Czechs have the force with them now. That penalty, by the way, was given away by Vida, who had an arm in the air when there was absolutely no need.

What a turn of events. Croatia, cruising and confident at 2-0, see Modric go off with a a slight strain, then play is stopped as their fans throw flares and scuffle, and then the Czechs score twice. And now the Czechs have their first corner of the game. And now their second.

We've had five minutes of injury time and yet we have not had a board telling us how much injury time is to be played.

GOAL! Czech Republic 2-2 Croatia (Necid, penalty)

And now Croatia have given away a penalty! Handball...

Play has restarted. The clock says 90 minutes but we are going to get a lot of injury time here. A lot.

Croatia could find themselves in trouble here. There's a loud bang from a flare/cracker thrown onto the pitch. The stewards trying to deal with the flares look uncomfortable. Clattenburg has led the players to the half-way line. And now there's some scuffling in the Croatian end. The referee is talking to Uefa officals.

Lovely long pass by Strinic for Peresic to run onto. His low cross is bundled out for another corner but nothing comes from the set piece again. The Czechs send on striker Necid for Plasil. Close to the last chance saloon. Five minutes to go. And now we have a flare on the pitch.

The shot count is currently 15-5 to Croatia. But the score is still only 2-1. Croatia now have another corner (9-0).

Rosicky orchestrates a Czech attack but then Croatia break through the oddly-hatted Corluka, who runs the length of the field with the ball only to run out of room at the other end. Goal kick. Great run though.

But a beautiful break by Croatia ends with a Brozovic shot taking a slight deflection for a corner. The corner is dealt with easily by Cech and company.

Twelve minutes to go and the Czech Republic have a sniff here. Should add that that was another substitution proving successful almost immediately. The Czechs are storming forward and the Croats anxious. Modric's departure has certainly altered the balance.

Rosicky runs and chips the ball into the area and Skoda rises high and heads into the corner. Now we have a game...

GOAL! Czech Republic 1-2 Croatia (Skoda)

I promised to bring you that headwear:

Madzukic is down receiving treatment after a bang on the head. Clatternburg ushers him off. he will be back shortly. Some substitutions have been made: Kovacicat on for Modric for Croatia; while the Czechs have made two changes: Sural and Skoda on for Skalak and Lafata.

Mandzukic almost makes it 3. Should have made it 3. But skies his shot from 12 yards as a Czech tackle sends the ball spinning into his path.

Almost half an hour left still to play and yet it is hard to see the Czechs coming back from here. Their tournament would almost certainly – but not definitely – be over with a defeat. They would need to beat Turkey in the final game and hope they had one of the better third-placed tallies.

But worryingly for Croatia, Modric is coming off with what looks like a muscle twinge in the thigh area.

Woeful, sloppy defending gives the ball away and a simple pass to Rakitic sees the Barcelona star skip away and flick the ball over Cech. 2-0.

GOAL! Czech Republic 0-2 Croatia (Rakitic)

Corluka is now wearing even more interesting headwear in the second half. Picture of that when I can.

The Czechs attack again. At least they are making a game of this. Meanwhile, I ought to have mentioned this headwear (following a first game injury):

Rosicky rolls forward and tries to get the ball into the Croatian area twice. The second finds his man but the cross is too far. The ball flies back into the Croatian box and Ladislav Krejčí tries an ambitous overhead kick. It is on target but far too weak to trouble the keeper. Still Croatia lead 1-0.

The Croats sweep forward again and Rakitic slots through a beautiful slide pass but unfortunately a miscommunication sees his teammate halt his run at just the wrong moment. Five minutes gone in the second half and at least the Czech's look to be trying a bit harder since the break. But still have not created anything meaningful.

No substitutes at half-time. Not sure what the Czech Republic could do, but they ought to try something. Meanwhile Ivan Strinić is rolling around off the field after hurting his wrist in a challenge as he shepherded out a hopeful long ball by the Czechs.

And the second half is underway. Can the Czech's come back? The first attack of the half would suggest it's unlikely as the Croats storm forward again but the final product is a shot high and wide.

I'm spending my time during the break trying to work out if the scorer's name is spelled Perisic or Peresic. The problem clearly lying with the Croat accentery: Ivan Perišić. I have no idea how to get that lettering on my laptop.

HALF-TIME: Czech Republic 0-1 Croatia.

Any thoughts you'd like to share via Twitter?

We are into injury time and Croatia win a corner. But are not then allowed to take it as Clattenburg blows for half time. Great half by Croatia and a deserved 1-0 lead. What can the Czechs do in the second half?

Have Czech Republic now finally woken up to the fact that they will be going home if they lose today? A free kick is claimed on the edge of the Croatian area but is booted straight into the wall. The follow up is also kicked straight into the wall. Wasteful.

Peresic breaks down the left and slots the ball into the bottom right hand corner. Nothing Cech could do about that. Certainly deserved on the balance of play.

GOAL! Czech Republic 0-1 Croatia (Peresic)

Rakitic breaks through the Czech defence and shoots from 10-yards out but Cech spreads himself and saves.

The Czech Republic can't seem to find a way into the Croatian third, but 33 minutes in and it is still 0-0.

The stadium is a riot of colour. But confusing colour as the white and red end of Croatia are cheering on the blue team. The Czech end is mostly red too. But the team are in white. What is it with football's obsession with second and third strips? Why were Wales playing in black yesterday?

And another (sixth of the game for Croatia) ... but this time it's cleared, but only as far as a blue shirt. Brozovic flings in another ball which goes out for ... a corner. This one ends with a shot over the goal following a punched clearance from Cech.

And another...

The Czechs break and almost thread their way through the Croatian defence, but Corluka slides in for a crunching tackle and a brief moment of danger is snuffed out. Croatia's turn again and now they have yet another corner...

Croatia's domination of possession is continuing to grow. 70% now. And they have another corner, but it is cleared. Sometimes you see a side dominating and a goal must surely come. But sometimes it doesn't, the team under pressure ride their luck and steal the game. Long way to go still and Croatia are clearly the better side but it's still 0-0.

Croatia fling a series of crosses into the area – one of which Cech misjudges horribly and misses with a punch attempt – but the men in blue can't seem to manage to turn any of them into a chance. Still 0-0. 20 minutes gone. And then they come forward again and twice the ball comes dangerously towards the edge of the 6-yard box. One eludes the lunging Perisic, before another does end with a shot, but it is high, wide, and not particularly handsome.

Croatia concede another free kick about 40 yards out but again it bounces harmlessly into touch for a goal kick. And then there's a brief discussion about the state of the ball that is hurled back into play. A bit flat? Anyone played with one of these Euro 16 balls? Tweet me @Busfield.

Petr Cech decides to have a shot on goal himself (presumably upset with that 0-2 efforts count). His kicked clearance bounces into the hands of Subasic. Seriously, that might have to count as a shot on goal.

And Mark Clatternburg gets himself into the centre of the action early on by booking Milan Badelj for a raised elbow in an aerial challenge. The free kick, 40 yards out, comes to nought.

Croatia have had 69% of the possession in the opening 12 minutes. And 100% of the efforts on goal (two!).

Cech comes out to smother as another Croatian wave surges forward. The blue-clad Croatians are making the early running here, dominating possession and allowing the Czech's no space when they do occasionally get hold of the ball.

Brilliant run by Rakitic from the Croatian right wing, beats one man, beats another, a one-two into the area before passing to Badelj whose low strike goes just wide of the post.

Now it's the Czech's turn to attack. Rosicky flings a free kick into the area which is headed back into the six-yard box by the pink clad Subasic grabs it first. Still 0-0. Five minutes gone.

A nice cross by Modric floats over a lot of bodies in the penalty area and then bounces annoyingly off Rakitic for a goal kick.

And we're off... Petr Cech receives a poor backpass and gives away a corner. The corner flies in and bounces up awkwardly and Cech has to punch it over the top. Another corner...

Colours: just to confuse everybody, Czech Republic are playing in white and Croatia in blue. And Danijel Subašić is in pink.

The Croatian team has six players whose name ends with the letter C (although with an accent upon most of them). Is this a record?

Time for the national anthems...

Italy: played two won two. Anyone think they will win the tournament? Let me know your thoughts via Twitter: @Busfield.

And what of Oier's belief that Croatia could go all the way?

Delving into my addled brain I have a couple of personal memories to share around this fixture. I was (un)lucky enough to be there when the newly-created Czech Republic came close to securing Euro glory in '96 at Wembley but fell victim to the first international tournament to be decided by a Golden Goal. What a deflating moment that was, as Germany's winner deflected and trickled in. A few days earlier we had still been more than optimistic that England were about to end 30 years of hurts. It's now 50...

Also, this game is being played in St Etienne, where I was also privileged to be present when Michael Owen stormed onto the international scene with one of the all-time great World Cup goals before England succumbed on penalties (obviously) to Argentina.

Will today create great, long-lasting, big-tournament memories?

Line-ups (in a slightly more digestible format):

Czech Republic: Cech; Kaderabek, Sivok, Hubnik, Limbersky; Plasil; Rosicky, Skalak, Krejci, Dorida; Lafata.

Croatia: Subasic; Srna, Corluka, Vida, Strinic; Modric, Badelj; Brozovic, Rakitic, Peresic; Mandzukic.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

LINE-UPS (via Uefa):

PREDICTIONS

I canvassed my colleagues for their thoughts on this game and here's what they think (and if you want to be included in our liveblog coverage just tweet me @Busfield):

To recap: nobody gives the Czechs a chance.

So, Italy are through to the knock out stages with a very late winner against Sweden. A nice position to be in just a week into the tournament. This tournament has already had more than its fair share of late goals. Obviously they make for great drama. Would be nice to have some more early goals too, to force teams out of their caginess.

Get yourself over to Italy vs Sweden for some drama now here!

After those cagey opening round games, it's now time to sink or swim. Win and Croatia are through to the knock out stages. Lose and the Czech Republic are going home. But other results would leave the group still open. So far this group, which also features Spain and Turkey, has featured only two goals – although one of them was Luka Modric's goal-of-the-tournament contender. It would be nice to liveblog the first goalfest of a tournament which is bubbling along nicely.

The action starts at 5pm BST and I will be here with all the build up and team news. You can share your thoughts/predictions/jokes for inclusion in our live coverage by tweeting to me: @Busfield.

But first, enjoy the rest of the action in today's early game: Italy vs Sweden.