BRATISLAVA (Interstat) — Croatia U17 Women, the visiting side, beat Slovakia U17 Women 1-0 on Monday in a match decided by a single first-half goal. Stela Delisimunovic scored in the 42nd minute for Croatia, and Jana Vujicic was credited with the assist. Slovakia, playing at home, could not find an equalizer after falling behind and saw its best attempts to level the game come up short across the second half. Croatia took the lead into halftime and protected it through the closing stages. The goal separated two teams that otherwise traded long spells of midfield play, with Slovakia unable to turn its home advantage into a breakthrough.

Delisimunovic played 90 minutes and scored once, while Vujicic played 90 minutes and supplied the assist. The goal came shortly before halftime and gave Croatia the only lead it needed. Slovakia pressed for a response after the break but was unable to convert its possession and set-piece opportunities into a goal. Croatia defended its advantage through the closing stages and managed the game after taking the lead into the second half. The visitors absorbed pressure late and kept Slovakia from finding the finishing touch in the final third. Slovakia’s changes sought to add energy in the attacking half, but Croatia’s compact shape held.

Slovakia’s N. Jancarova received a yellow card in the 62nd minute. Croatia’s G. Bubica was booked in the 71st minute, Slovakia’s S. Pretiova was cautioned in the 76th and Croatia’s S. Jankovic was booked in the 77th. The cards added to a chippy second half as both teams worked through midfield battles and frequent stoppages. Jancarova’s caution was the first of four yellow cards in a 15-minute span that underlined the rising intensity. That sequence kept the match stop-start as Slovakia chased the game.

Slovakia made its first change at the 46th minute when K. Kusnirova came on. Croatia also made a change at the 46th minute, bringing on D. Pavlinusic. Slovakia then introduced T. Babajide in the 56th minute, S. Bodnarova in the 72nd and K. Becikova in the 86th. Croatia brought on G. Bubica in the 75th minute, S. Jankovic in the 82nd and J. Vujicic in the 90th minute. The substitutions gave both sides fresh legs for the late stages, but Slovakia could not turn its second-half pressure into an equalizing goal. Croatia’s final change came in the 90th minute, with Vujicic making way after her assist.

Croatia’s record in the competition is now one win and no losses, and its record across all competitions is also one win and no losses. Slovakia’s record in the competition is now no wins and one loss, and its record across all competitions is also no wins and one loss. The result gave Croatia a winning start in the competition and left Slovakia still searching for its first win. Croatia’s one-goal margin held through the final whistle, while Slovakia was left to rue the decisive first-half concession. The records reflected the narrow margin, with Croatia taking the only goal of the contest and Slovakia unable to respond.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Slovakia U17 Women 1, Croatia U17 Women 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Slovakia U17 Women with a 65.3 percent probability to win.