Kranjcar expects maximum points from Croatia

Confident Croatia coach Zlatko Kranjcar expects his team to take a maximum six points from their World Cup qualifiers against Iceland and Malta in Zagreb on March 26 and 30.

"I expect my team to win both games," Kranjcar told a news conference called to announce his squad for the European zone Group Eight games.

However, he warned that the task would not be easy, particularly against Iceland.

"Iceland's results so far have not been good, but they were really outplayed only once, against Sweden at home," Kranjcar said.

He picked out Chelsea forward Eidur Gudjohnsen and Bochum midfielder Thordur Gudjonsson as Iceland's most dangerous players.

Croatia are third in the group with seven points from three games, the same tally as Bulgaria. Sweden top the group on nine points from four games.

Hungary lie fourth on six points from four games while Iceland and Malta have only one point each at the bottom.

Croatian squad for Iceland, Malta qualifiers

Goalkeepers: Tomislav Butina (Club Bruges), Joseph Didulica (Austria Vienna).

Defenders: Igor Tudor (Siena), Mario Tokic (Graz AK), Stjepan Tomas (Galatasaray), Robert Kovac (B. Munich), Josip Simunic (Hertha).

Midfielders: Ivan Leko (Hajduk Split), Darijo Srna (S. Donetsk), Ivan Bosnjak (Dinamo Zagreb), Anthony Seric (Lazio), Marko Babic (Bayer Leverkusen), Danijel Pranjic (D. Zagreb), Niko Kovac (Hertha), Jurica Vranjes (Stuttgart), Jerko Leko (Dynamo Kiev), Niko Kranjcar (Hajduk Split).

Forwards: Dado Prso (Rangers), Ivan Klasnic (Werder), Ivica Olic (CSKA Moscow), Eduardo Da Silva (Dinamo Zagreb).