DOHA, DEC 17
2018 Russia runners-up Croatia claimed the third place in the Fifa Qatar 2022 World Cup after edging a fighting Morocco 2-1 in the third-place match at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday night.
Croatia made their intentions clear when they slotted home in the seventh minute of the match itself. Josko Gvardiol’s flying header beat Morocco’s star goalkeeper Yassine Bounou after a free kick from Lovro Majer 30 yards from goal.
Left-footed Majer curled it over the wall and was received by Ivan Perisic who flicked a header back across the area. Gvardiol charged to meet the ball and powered a spectacular diving header past Bono.
Morocco hit back in two minutes after a free kick outside the box. Captain Hakim Ziyech’s inswinging free kick met a header from Luka Modric but it looped towards Croatia goal and Achraf Dari made no hesitation in netting his first international goal for Morocco in the ninth minute to make it 1-1.
Croatia restored their lead in the 42nd minute through a first-time shot from Mislav Orsic which beat Bono and hit the inside of the far post and rebounded into the net.
In the 29th minute, Morocco top-scorer Youssef En-Nesyri could not get a touch on a Achref Hakimi cross flying across the Croatian goalmouth. Hakimi and Ziyech were instrumental in the speedy one-two move.
During the early minutes of the match, Morocco keeper Bono almost gave a pass into his own net when Croatia applied continuous pressure on the goalmouth.
Croatia led 2-1 at half-time.
Morocco brought in Ilias Chair in place of Abdelhamid Sabri during the second-half.
In the 52nd minute Morocco’s En-Nesyri chested a long pass from Boufal but couldn’t go past a watchful Perisic.
In the 56th minute, Moroccan midfielder Bilal El Khannouss was substituted by Azzedine Ounahi.
In the 60th minute, Nicolos Vlasic replaced a tearful forward Andrej Kramaric, who looked like suffering a hamstring injury, while making a cross for Croatia.
Morocco made another move in 65th minute through Hakimi, whose lofted cross was headed away by Josip Sutalo, under pressure from En-Nesyri.
Morocco made a double change in the previous minute with Sofiane Boufal and the limping Dari were substituted by Anass Zaroury and Badr Benoun.
Croatia responded with a double change as well with Bruno Petkovic and Mario Pasalic replacing Marko Livaja and Lovro Majer.
Croatia survived some tense moments after a Moroccan attack in the 74th minute as the defence and goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic scrambled to put the ball away.
A turnout of 44,137 spectators, dominated by Moroccan fans, was recorded at the Khalifa International Stadium for the play-off match.
In the 75th minute, Livakovic prevented an equaliser with a superb save after a close-range shot from En-Nesyri.
The match produced a yellow card for Morocco’s Ounahi after excessive appeals in the 69th minute. Amallah also received a yellow in the 84th minute for dissent after an incident with Petkovic.
In the 87th minute, Mateo Kovacic missed a good chance as his left-footed shot missed the target near the far post.
Morocco made a last-ditch effort in the additional time but the hard working En-Nesyri’s header was just over the bar and Croatia finished the World Cup in third place.
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