Croatia topped Group D with a total of nine points and will face Group C runners-up Denmark in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday in their round of 16 match.
"It will be a challenging match and the way we play will depend on us. We need to be patient and concentrated. But when I talk about concentration I mean we won't think whether to attack or not. We will aim at control and we need to be focused even when we lose the ball. We should play attacking football. It will be a fight to the death," Dalic told journalists.
Dalic noted that Croatia must be smart and confident in their upcoming knockout stage game.
"Tomorrow we need to use our brains, confidence, sense, and control our emotions… If we manage to achieve the result, we will be happy, we will move forward. I can say that no matter the outcome, we have given our everything, and our work was not in vane," Dalic told journalists.
Denmark Views Their Current Progress as Great Achievement
Meanwhile, Denmark defender Simon Kjaer said on Saturday that his side's progress to the knockout stage was a great achievement.
"I'm pleased and very proud to be Denmark captain at the World Cup and going to the knockout stage, it's so huge. It's going to be after the World Cup that I can digest this. But we shouldn't be satisfied with this result," Kjaer told journalists.
Denmark Head Coach Reveals the Team's Strategy During Game Against Croatia
Speaking about the upcoming match, Denmark head coach Age Hareide stated Saturday that his team must attack more.
"We have a lot of very good players, we are a team, and that is why we have made it this far at the World Cup. Croatia are a skilled team, but you will see what we can do. We will show a different game, if we want to move forward. We must play in defense, but also attack more than in previous matches," Hareide told journalists.
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He went on saying that advancing to the Round of 16 was Denmark's greatest achievement and that they now have a chance to "make history".
Hareide underlined that all the players were ready for the match, including injured midfielder William Kvist. Kvist sustained the injury in the 35th minute of Saturday's Group C match against Peru after a collision with Jefferson Farfan and was stretchered off the pitch.
"I am not going to tell you who will be named in the starting line-up. But I can say that all players are ready," Hareide told journalists.
He concluded that the showdown between Croatia and Denmark midfielders Luka Modric and Christian Eriksen will be "fascinating to watch."
Denmark finished second in Group C with a total of five points, advancing to the knockout stage for the first time since 2002.
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The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will continue until July 15, with the matches being played in 11 cities across Russia.
