Croatia midfielder Zvonko Pamic is not daunted by the task of going into Thursday morning’s match with the Flying Eagles needing a victory.

The Europeans lost 2-0 to Saudi Arabia in their opening Group D clash on Sunday, just after Nigeria overran Guatemala 5-0.

But Pamic insists his side still stand a chance of coming away from the win-or-bust tie with the three points they sorely need.

 “We were unlucky against Saudi Arabia,” he said. “We had a number of chances to score, and now we have to beat Nigeria in a much harder game. They’re an excellent side, as we all know, but we can win if we improve our performance.”

Although Croatia can still qualify for the round of 16 even if they finish third, a loss to the Flying Eagles would leave the Europeans relying on other results in the other group to decide their fate.

However, a win for Nigeria will guarantee the Flying Eagles a place in the second round.

However, Flying Eagles coach John Obuh is aware of the threat posed by Croatia, and he has promised not to take them lightly.

He said: “We’ll be very wary going into the game against Croatia. A win will be a big boost to our chances of going through, but we want to avoid a loss at all costs.”