Ivan Rakitić the competition. On 15 October 2008, he scored a brace in a 4–0 win at home to Andorra. On 5 September 2009, he scored the match-winning goal in a 1–0 win at home to Belarus. Croatia failed to qualify for the finals after finishing third in their group. After appearing in all of their Euro 2012 qualifiers, he was selected to be part of the Croatian squad at the Euro finals in Poland and Ukraine. Croatia were drawn in Group C together with Spain, Italy and the Republic of Ireland. Rakitić started in all three of Croatia group stage matches.
2015 AFL finals series on the night of 12 September 2015, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Both teams had not featured in the finals for several years; with the Bulldogs making their first finals appearance since losing the 2010 Preliminary Final and Adelaide last appearing in the 2012 Preliminary Final. This marked the third final between the two teams, after they contested preliminary finals in 1997 and 1998; which were both won by the Crows in their two premiership years. In a high-scoring, energetic game, the Bulldogs scored the first four goals of the game before Adelaide kicked the next five to lead by