Šokota remains positive

'Deserved the win'
"I thought we were much better and deserved the win," he said. "But we did not take advantage of several good opportunities in the first half, so we became nervous as the match wore on." He was pleased with his own display too: "I did everything I could. I made a few good moves, a few decent passes, but just didn't get enough space to shoot."

Unsatisfactory result
After Switzerland's defensive midfield player Johann Vogel was sent off five minutes into the second half, Croatia have inevitably been criticised for failing to benefit from their numerical advantage. "Of course we're not satisfied with the result, we didn't plan to start the tournament like this," the 27-year-old said.

Tough fixtures
"Ironically, we played much better in the first half than in the second, when we had an extra player," Šokota continued. "Anyway, we must now win against one of the favourites, but this team has quality so hopefully we can find some form in the next two games." Croatia's remaining Group B matches are against holders France and England.

Portuguese interest
Šokota, who plays his club football in Portugal with SL Benfica, is also keeping an eye on the hosts. "Portugal expected a lot from their first match, there was a lot of pressure on them and ultimately the fans were hugely disappointed by the result," he said. "I think they can beat Spain, but they must start with two forwards instead of leaving Pauleta alone in attack."