FIFA WC: Croatia eclipse Ghana with battling win to qualify as Group L runners-up

Philadelphia, June 28 (IANS) Petar Sucic and Nikola Vlasic were the goalscoring heroes as Croatia beat Ghana here at Philadelphia Stadium to leapfrog the already-qualified Black Stars into second spot in Group L.

Croatia finished as runners-up and now meet the Group K runners-up in the Round of 32 in Toronto on July 3 (IST). Ghana have finished third and progressed as one of the best third-placed sides.

Croatia could have qualified as one of the best third-placed teams by playing out a draw, but signalled their desire for a win from the first whistle. The warning signs were there for Ghana as early as the 17th minute, when Vlasic found space 20 yards from goal and clipped the outside of the post with a powerful right-foot shot, FIFA reports.

It was certainly no more than Croatia deserved when they took the head just after the half-hour, with Sucic crashing a stunning 30-yard drive through a couple of attempted blocks and just inside the left-hand post.

Sucic, at 22 years and 245 days, became the second-youngest player to score for Croatia at the FIFA World Cup, after Josko Gvardiol (20 years, 328 days against Morocco in 2022).

Ghana were offering little at the other end at this stage, with Antoine Semenyo – who fired narrowly wide as half-time approached – their only real source of attacking menace.

The Black Stars improved significantly in the second half, however, and their pressure was rewarded 17 minutes from time when Derrick Luckassen snuck in at a free-kick to side-foot home the equaliser.

But having profited from poor marking at one end, Ghana paid for it at the other ten minutes later when Vlasic stole in unmarked at a Luka Modric corner to head home the winner off the inside of the left-hand post.

Modric has featured in each of Croatia’s last 21 matches on the game’s grandest stage, a sequence that dates back to the nation’s second outing at the 2006 instalment. This is his 201st match for Croatia.

–IANS

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