Croatia sealed their spot as Group L runners-up after a 2-1 win over Ghana in Philadelphia.
Zlatko Dalic’s side will play the Group K runners-up – currently Portugal – in Toronto on Friday July 3, while third-place Ghana will know their opponents by the early hours of Sunday morning.
The result also confirmed Scotland’s exit from the World Cup.
Both teams knew a draw would be enough to secure safe passage to the knockout stages – and proceedings started in tepid fashion, to say the least.
In fact, across the opening 15 minutes, neither side attempted a shot or had a touch in the opposition box. It took another two minutes for the first, when an effort from Croatia’s Nikola Vlasic skimmed the outside of the left-hand post.
Derrick Luckassen (centre) levelled for Ghana
Ghana had successfully implemented a defence-first approach during the midweek draw with England, but they conceded their first goal of the tournament just after the half-hour. Petar Sucic received the ball in acres of space, around 35 yards out, took a touch and arrowed a daisy-cutter into the bottom-left corner.
With England drawing 0-0 with Panama at that point, Zlatko Dalic’s side were advancing as group winners.
But Jude Bellingham’s opener – which put the Three Lions on course for an eventual 2-0 win – saw them drop to second, and they slipped to third when Derrick Luckassen – brother of Netherlands forward Brian Brobbey – guided in an equaliser 17 minutes from time, which was confirmed following a lengthy VAR review.
Croatia, though, did manage to finish behind England after Vlasic drifted away from his marker to head an outswinging Luka Modric corner in via the inside of the left-hand post.
The key moments in Philadelphia…
- 17: OFF THE POST! With the first shot of the game, Croatia’s Nikola Vlasic hits the outside of the left-hand upright
- 31: GOAL! Petar Sucic hits the opener from 30 yards or more to put Croatia in front
- 40: CLOSE! Man City’s Antoine Semenyo hits the first shot for Ghana across the face of goal and past the far post
- 73: GOAL! Derrick Luckassen levels for Ghana. After a lengthy VAR review to examine a potential foul by Kwasi Sibo, the goal stands
- 83: GOAL! Vlasic heads in Luka Modric’s outswinging corner to restore Croatia’s lead
What the result means…
Analysis: Modric continues to make history
Luka Modric become the oldest player on record to provide a World Cup assist
Sky Sports’ Dan Long:
Luka Modric turns 41 in September and there are rumours the 2026 World Cup will be the swansong to his glittering career before he announces his retirement. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen but, in the meantime, he is continuing to make history.
In starting against Ghana in Philadelphia, he made his 22nd World Cup appearance, which moved him above Diego Maradona and drew him level with Manuel Neuer. Ahead of him? Only Lionel Messi (28), Lothar Matthaus (25), Miroslav Klose and Cristiano Ronaldo (both 24), and Paolo Maldini (23). Esteemed company indeed.
And at 40 years and 291 days old, in setting up Nikolas Vlasic’s winner, Modric became the oldest player on record (since 1966) to provide a World Cup assist.
It seems unlikely Zlatko Dalic’s side will be capable of replicating their feats at the last two tournaments, when they finished as runners-up in 2018 and in third place in 2022, but the evergreen Modric will be determined to go out on a high – if this is to be the end.
