The city of Belgrade is used to hosting electric games of football. After all, the Eternal derby between Serbias two most popular clubs, Red Star and Partizan, is one of the most intense rivalries in the sport. However, Fridays visit of Croatia in a pivotal World Cup qualifier took the citys footballing history to a new level. Twenty years ago, these two nations were fighting off the field in a brutal civil war, and for the first time since then, Serbia hosted their hated rivals in a heated matchup from Group A of UEFAs qualifying process for Brazil 2014. Much of the talk coming in was about reconciliation between the two teams, despite the plot lines unearthing deep, thick wounds. Serbian boss Sinisa Mihajlovic and his Croatian counterpart, Igor Stimac, played together for Yugoslavia, winning the 1987 World Youth Cup, but were then both famously sent off in the brutal final of the 1991 Yugoslavia Cup playing for their respective clubs, Red Star and Hajduk Split. In the first meeting between the two countries back in March, Croatia beat Serbia 2-0 and at the end of the match, the two coaches hugged each other in a sign fences were being mended between the two men, and, perhaps, between the countries. However, shortly before kick off on Friday when the two captains, Branislav Ivanovic and Darijo Srna, tried to address the crowd with some words of peace, the locals made it known that they had no interest in their plan. This game was all that was left now for the home team and their fans. Mihajlovics side have had a disastrous qualifying campaign and needed to win their remaining three games, and have Croatia lose their last three, to get second place in the group. It was a dream for every Serbian football fan but never a reality. In a chaotic and feisty game, Serbia were by far the better side. A back four consisting of three Premier League players - Ivanovic, Matija Nastasic and Aleksandar Kolarov, plus Borussia Dortmunds Neven Subotic (Nemanja Vidic is one of a few players who isnt playing for his country due to the atmosphere the manager has created with some strong rules and principles) were rarely threatened in the first half as their young forwards caused Croatia many problems. Lazar Markovic, now of Benfica, was the brightest of their young trio up front and showcased some outstanding movement and strength on the ball. Jose Mourinho was in attendance and it was no surprise that rumours suggested he was there to watch the 19-year-old, who scored a fantastic goal for his side against Sporting Lisbon last week. Croatia looked a very nervous, timid outfit, confused with their identity and what exactly Stimac wants his team to look like. With Luka Modric and the defensive-minded Ognjen Vukojevic in midfield, they got outrun by a more energetic home side through the middle. Sensing that, the impressive Ivan Rakitic, on the left, often needed to come inside to make up the numbers, but this exposed his flank and Zoran Tosic and right back Ivanovic often got the better of Southamptons Dejan Lovren, playing left back. Serbias best chances came from the right wing, highlighted by Tosics shot saved by Stipe Pletikosa in the first half, and it was no surprise when Serbia scored in the second half from a free kick won by Ivanovic after more poor discipline from Lovren. By then, though, Croatia had the lead and it had taken all of seven seconds to silence the electrifying atmosphere. In control of possession, once again, the home sides attack down the left was quickly intercepted by Srna, who immediately drove forward and slotted a perfect ball, splitting the stranded duo of Subotic and Nastasic. Through the middle ran Mario Mandzukic and like all great finishers, the Bayern Munich made no mistake on a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, slotting home his first and only chance of the match. Croatia barely deserved the lead and less than 15 minutes later, lost it for good when the impressive young forward Aleksandar Mitrovic rose high to send the home fans wild. The fans never sat down after that as the final quarter of the match reached the crescendo many expected, with both teams getting a man sent off. Referee Felix Brych did an outstanding job of keeping his cool while others around him were losing theirs and when he blew the whistle for full time, he didnt just finish a match. Gone now are Serbias chances to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil and despite that being a formality for a month, that shouldnt make it less of a story than it is. You have likely never heard of the football team Ludogorets. Yet, when the Bulgarian side knocked out Serbian league champions Partizan Belgrade from the third qualifying round of the Champions League back in July, it represented a real low for Serbian football. Days later, Red Star Belgrade lost their Europa League third round qualifying tie and to rub salt into the wound even more, Partizan, given one last chance at European football, lost to FC Thun in the final qualifying stage of that competition. Belgrade, once home to giants sitting at the top table of European football, has been left out of the party completely. Now the national team, less than four years after defeating Germany at the World Cup in South Africa, will miss out on the party in Brazil. For a country that produces many talented players, including some of the finest defenders in the game today, that is simply not good enough and changes will be made, starting with a new manager for the 2016 European Championship qualifiers. The final whistle also cemented Croatias place in Group A. Leaders Belgium beat Scotland 2-0 to move five points clear with two matches to go, meaning Croatias 1-1 draw on Friday leaves them in second place and a likely two-legged playoff game against another group runner-up to attempt to make it to Brazil. Despite not being able to realistically win the group, their next game against Belgium, who finish with a home match against Wales, will provide them with another acid test to see whether they are good enough to be amongst the best 13 in Europe. Junes loss to Scotland coupled with this underwhelming showing in Belgrade means the jury remains out on Croatias qualifying hopes. They used the play-off system two years ago to make it Euro 2012 but Stimacs side still have a lot of question marks before anyone can say they are a team that deserves to be playing at next summers World Cup. They are not underachieving like Serbia, but they are not far off it. 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The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East.LONDON -- New Zealand is one victory away from going through 2013 unbeaten after surviving a valiant fightback by England to win 30-22 at Twickenham on Saturday, erasing the pain of last years stunning loss in the same fixture. England overturned a 17-3 deficit after 17 minutes to take a 22-20 lead on the hour, but winger Julian Saveas second try of the match -- from a remarkable offload by Maa Nonu -- allowed New Zealand to recover for a 13th straight victory this year. The All Blacks head to Ireland next week looking to become the first team since South Africa in 1995 to finish a calendar year with a 100 per cent record. "We have given ourselves a chance, havent we?" New Zealand captain Richie McCaw said. "It would be pretty nice over December to sit back and reflect on that, but it isnt just going to happen by itself." Driven by memories of their 38-21 loss here 12 months ago, the All Blacks made a flying start through early tries by Savea and impressive No. 8 Kieran Read. But they lost No. 10 Dan Carter, who won his 100th international cap, to a right Achilles injury in the 26th minute and were soon worn down by the intensity of Englands dominant pack. Joe Launchbury crossed for Englands only try and flyhalf Owen Farrell kicked six from six, giving the hosts belief they could pull off a second straight win over the worlds top-ranked side and clinch a third successive November victory over Rugby Championship opponents. The All Blacks wrestled back the initiative, though, as Saveas 64th-minute try and Aaron Crudens late penalty saw them home. "Credit to New Zealand -- they are a champion side and they showed it in the end," England coach Stuart Lancaster said. "If you went into the England dressing room, we are desperately disappointed to have lost to a team that has been unbeaten all season." The All Blacks only defeat since August 2011 -- stretching back 34 games -- remains the reverse to England last year and their brilliant run of results has sparked a debate over whether they are the best team in world sports. Lancaster thinks so -- he said so this week -- but they were given a going-over by Englands forwards in the middle 40 minutes of the match, sending the All Blacks back in the collision and scrum and leaving New Zealand coach Steve Hansen shaking his head in the stands. "We mauledd New Zealand to death," England backs coach Andy Farrell said.dddddddddddd Maybe it was just a coincidence, but the departure of Carter -- the worlds premier pivot of the past decade -- heralded the start of Englands renaissance. He became the fifth All Black to 100 caps, marking the occasion by wearing golden boots with "DC100" on them, and had kicked eight points by the time he hobbled off with an injury thats "been rumbling away for a while," according to Hansen. "He would have loved to have been out there for 80 minutes," McCaw said, "but hes got that milestone and got a bit of a smile on his face." It is a testament to the character of this young, bold England team -- missing six British Lions -- that they didnt wilt after Reads 15th international try, which was converted to make it 17-3 and made him the most prolific No. 8 in rugby history -- eclipsing the try record of compatriot Zinzan Brooke. It was also the fifth straight game in which he has scored. Read had also set up Saveas try inside two minutes, offloading deftly as he was being ushered into touch by three tacklers to allow the winger, who also scored two tries here last year, to romp clear untouched. Fourteen points down against the best team in the world, England made a statement of intent by turning down three kicks at goal to go for attacking lineouts. After the third lineout, Billy Vunipola was dragged over the line in a maul but the video referee couldnt see the ball grounded and ruled no try. From the resulting scrum, the ball was kicked forward by Englands pack but Read fumbled and Launchbury pounced to ground on the dive from close range. Carter went off, Cruden kicked a penalty but England was given cause for hope when Read was sin-binned in the 33rd after persistent team infringements. Farrell kicked three straight penalties, two while Read was off, and it needed something special for New Zealand to regain its foothold. Nonu provided it. After Charles Piutau was denied a try by a last-ditch tackle from Mike Brown, the All Blacks recycled to the left and Nonu offloaded brilliantly despite being tackled by England strongmen Ben Morgan and Courtney Lawes, and Savea ran through three opponents to ground. Crudens penalty in the 71st, giving him eight points for the match, ended Englands comeback hopes. 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