Baric eyes quarter-finals

Croatia coach Otto Baric and his troops are confident they can beat England and claim a place in the Euro 2004 quarter-finals.

The Balkan nation has consistently punched above its weight in world football since seceding from Yugoslavia and almost claimed another famous scalp yesterday.

Trailing 1-0 at half-time to an Igor Tudor own goal, the Croats steamrollered European champions France in the first minutes of the second period to take a 2-1 lead with a Milan Rapaic penalty and a Dado Prso goal.

David Trezeguet grabbed a share of the spoils for the French but only Sven-Goran Eriksson's England stand between them and the quarter-finals and Baric scents another famous coup for the nation of only 4.4 million citizens.

"Against England we will be 100% motivated and ready," said Baric who will quit as Croatia coach after the tournament.

"My boys are very motivated. After the (0-0 draw) game with Switzerland I gave them all a day off but they all stayed in the camp except Robert Kovac."