Niko Kranjcar scored two and made the other as Croatia saw off Malta 3-0 in their latest Euro 2012 qualifier.
Spurs ace steals the show against Malta
Niko Kranjcar scored two and made the other as Croatia saw off Malta 3-0 in their latest Euro 2012 qualifier.
The comfortable success, which also saw Blackburn's Nikola Kalinic get on the scoresheet, takes the Croats to the top of Group F.
Tottenham playmaker Kranjcar, who is reported to be growing frustrated at a lack of action at White Hart Lane, stole the show as he fired the hosts out of the traps in Zagreb.
His opener came on 17 minutes when he cracked a fierce drive from the edge of the box past a helpless Andrew Hogg.
He then produced a replica effort to double Croatia's lead four minutes before the interval.
Dominant
Luka Modric then rattled a post as Slaven Bilic's side continued to dominate, before Eduardo and Mladen Petric both went close.
Former Coventry striker Michael Mifsud had Malta's best chance, but he ballooned high over the bar early in the second half.
Kalinic replaced Petric with half-an-hour to go and he wrapped up a comfortable win in the 82nd minute by nodding in a fine cross from Kranjcar.
Unbeaten Croatia have now taken 10 points from four games, and sit two ahead of Greece, while pointless Malta remain rooted to the foot of the table.
