Croatia delivered a composed display to defeat Ghana 2-1 on the soggy turf of Philadelphia Stadium in their final FIFA World Cup Group L match. Petar Sucic opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark (31′), firing a precise long-range effort into the bottom corner after Mateo Kovacic had set him up.
Nikola Vlasic had earlier struck a post as Croatia looked the more threatening side before the breakthrough finally came. Ghana were sluggish and toothless throughout a forgettable opening period, but came out completely transformed after the break.
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Ernest Nuamah’s inviting free-kick was swept in by Derrick Luckassen, who equalized after a lengthy VAR check for offside, in the 73rd minute. The euphoria, however, was short-lived for the Black Stars and their traveling fans.
Vlasic had the last word in the 83rd minute, heading a Luka Modric corner beyond the helpless Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. The outcome confirmed Croatia as Group L runners-up, with Ghana still progressing as one of the best third-placed sides.
Here are five talking points from a dramatic FIFA World Cup night:
5) Sucic is a star in the making
Petar Sucic was the dominant player on the evening, his flash of inspiration eventually settling a tight first half. The Inter midfielder took Kovacic’s clever pass and then fired an unstoppable shot into the bottom-left corner.
It was only his second international goal, but it came at a really vital time for his country. Sucic showed a maturity beyond his years as he dropped deep to influence proceedings in central midfield time and again. By all accounts, the youngster looks more than ready to take on serious responsibility in the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds.
4) Ghana’s story of two halves
Not many teams have demonstrated such a contrast between halves as Ghana did in Philadelphia. In a desperately poor opening period, the Black Stars were passive, disjointed, and alarmingly short of ideas. They couldn’t even get a shot on target before the interval finally came.
There was clearly a strong message from Carlos Queiroz at the break as his side emerged as a completely different proposition. The introduction of Abdul Fatawu brought much-needed energy and directness to their hitherto toothless attacking play.
The West Africans pushed further up the pitch, moved the ball more quickly, and asked serious questions of the Croatian rearguard. It was no surprise when they eventually scored, but sadly, they couldn’t hold on for a draw.
3) Ghana lose the game due to poor finishing
Ghana finished the night with a superior xG figure of 0.74, while Croatia’s was more modest at 0.42. The Black Stars arguably created the better chances over the full 90 minutes on those numbers alone. The problem was that they never really looked like they were going to score, and they never looked like they were going to keep a clean sheet either.
Antoine Semenyo, in particular, dragged a low effort agonizingly wide when presented with a huge chance. Such profligacy proved costly against opponents with the experience and ruthless streak in front of goal that Croatia have shown in the FIFA World Cup.
2) Modric remains the maestro Croatia need
Luka Modric is 40, and yet, somehow, he continues to conjure moments of real magic on the grandest stage. The veteran maestro provided the inch-perfect corner for Vlasic to convert Croatia’s decisive late winner.
In the process, he became the oldest player to register an assist at a FIFA World Cup in Opta’s records. Modrić’s influence was as expected, but he was also on point from start to finish in Philadelphia and beyond.
He made several vital defensive interventions, extinguishing Ghanaian attacks repeatedly with his timeless reading of danger.
1) Both countries move on to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32
There were mixed emotions at full-time, though this fixture ultimately saw both nations involved qualify for the knock-out stages. Croatia’s victory moved them into second spot in the group, one point behind leaders England.
It was a bitter pill for Ghana to swallow, but by no means did it derail their broader qualification ambitions. Despite the loss, Ghana still qualify for the next round, returning to the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time since 2010.
Edited by Nnanna Mba