Croatia Edge Ghana 2-1 to Secure Place in World Cup
Picture: Reuters
Croatia booked its place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ghana on Saturday, thanks to a late winner from Nikola Vlašić.
The result lifted Croatia to second place in Group L behind England, while Ghana finished third despite already having secured its first World Cup knockout berth since 2010.
Croatia took the lead in the 31st minute when Luka Sučić unleashed a powerful strike from outside the penalty area for his second international goal. The midfielder's long-range effort gave the Croatians a deserved advantage heading into halftime after creating several other scoring opportunities.
Ghana fought back in the second half and equalized in the 73rd minute through Derrick Luckassen. Following a brief video review, the goal was confirmed, sparking celebrations among Ghana supporters inside the stadium.
The deadlock lasted only 10 minutes. In the 83rd minute, Luka Modrić delivered a pinpoint corner kick that Vlašić headed into the net to restore Croatia's lead. Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare had produced an impressive save moments earlier but could not deny Vlašić's decisive header.
Croatia nearly extended its lead earlier in the match, with Vlašić striking the post and Marin Pongračić heading over the crossbar from a Modrić free kick.
Ghana also came close before halftime when Antoine Semenyo narrowly missed the target after beating his defender. The forward, who scored 17 Premier League goals last season, has yet to find the net in the tournament but will have another opportunity as Ghana advances to the knockout rounds.
Croatia's victory marks a strong response after its third-place finish at the 2022 World Cup and keeps its title hopes alive.
