Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic has come in for criticism in Italian media for the defensive errors that he made on Argentina’s two goals against Croatia in the first half of yesterday’s World Cup semifinal clash.

The 30-year-old received a score of just 4.5/10 in the player ratings for the match published in today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInter1908, with those two errors named as the key reasons why.

Brozovic started at the base of midfield for Croatia, and was expected to play a two-way role, both dictating the tempo in possession and giving defensive coverage to the backline out of it.

It was in the latter capacity that the Corriere found the Nerazzurri midfielder to have been lacking.

On the first goal, Brozovic was slow to react to danger and get in position to help the defense out as Albiceleste striker Julian Alvarez broke through and won a penalty after goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic brought him down.

Then, on the second, the Inter man was the player who made a failed challenge on Argentine captain Lionel Messi as he wriggled away to play through Alvarez again, with the Manchester City striker scoring the Albiceleste’s second.