Croatia’s young footballing legacy continues to be built upon after the 2018 finalist secured a 2-1 win over 2022 darlings Morocco at Khalifa International Stadium this evening. To reach tonight’s clash, both sides defied pre-tournament odds in spectacular fashion only for Morocco to be bested by France in the semi-final, whilst Croatia fell to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Argentina.
Croatia are going home with a medal! 🥉
Celebrations at the final whistle from the players and staff.
Morocco aren’t happy.
📺💻📱 Reaction on @BBCOne, @BBCiPlayer and the BBC Sport app.#BBCWorldCup #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/aRPGRfLBiG
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 17, 2022
Croatia took six minutes to open the scoring, floating the ball into the box from a free-kick for Ivan Perišić to put across goal, with Joško Gvardiol’s diving header gliding past Bono. However, Morocco took less than two minutes to respond. Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick was badly cleared by Luka Modrić, with the ball landing straight to Achraf Dari who headed in.
This was such a good set-piece! 👏
📺💻📱 Watch on @BBCOne, @BBCiPlayer and the BBC Sport app.#BBCWorldCup #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/l9q7jCAHJC
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 17, 2022
The two outfits then played out a fairly end-to-end clash for the remainder of the first 45, but Croatia was able to find a second shortly before the break. Morocco lost the ball on the edge of the box, the ball was then played to Oršić who curled in a superb strike to make it 2-1.
The second half was far tamer than the opening forty-five minutes but proceedings went up a few decibels in the last fifteen minutes when Croatia felt they should have been awarded a penalty after Gvardiol was brought down by Sofyan Amrabat before Morocco crafted one of their best chances of the match immediately in the aftermath of the no-call.
Walid Regragui’s men tried to turn the screw in the final moments of normal time and well into the six minutes of added time but Zlatko Dalić’s outfit did well to resist all potential inroads toward Dominik Livaković’s goal, but it all nearly paid off with 20-seconds remaining when Youssef En-Nesyri was able to try to head home a late equalizer only for his effort to graze over the bar.
Thank you, Morocco 🇲🇦
They dared to dream and they absolutely delivered 👏
The best ever finish by an African nation in the #FIFAWorldCup 😍 pic.twitter.com/6Tjf95x8qO
— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 🏆 (@CAF_Online) December 17, 2022
When it was all said and done, Croatia had secured their second third-place finish on the world’s biggest stage in support of reaching the final four years ago, while Morocco could leave Qatar with heads held high after creating history at the World Cup as standard bearers for African football.
Morocco player ratings
- GK: Bono – 6.5
- RB: Archraf Hakimi – 6.5
- CB: Achraf Dari – 7
- CB: Jawad El Yamiq – 6
- LB: Yahya Attiat-Allah – 6
- CDM: Sofyan Amrabat – 6.5
- CM: Abdelhamid Sabiri – 6
- CM: Bilal El Khannous – 6
- RW: Hakim Ziyech – 7.5
- LW: Sofiane Boufal – 6.5
- ST: Youssef En Nesyri – 6.5
- Sub: Ilias Chair – 6
- Sub: Azzedine Ounahi – 6
- Sub: Anass Zaroury – 6
- Sub: Badr Benoun – 6
- Sub: Selim Amallah – 6.5
Croatia player ratings
- GK: Dominik Livaković – 6.5
- RB: Josip Stanišić – 7
- CB: Josip Šutalo – 6.5
- CB: Joško Gvardiol – 7.5
- LB: Ivan Perišić – 7.5
- CM: Luka Modrić – 7.5
- CM: Mateo Kovačić – 7.5
- CAM: Andrej Kramarić – 6
- RW: Lovro Majer – 6.5
- LW: Mislav Oršić – 7.5
- ST: Marko Livaja – 7
- Sub: Nikola Vlašić – 6
- Sub: Mario Pašalić – 6
- Sub: Bruno Petković – 6.5
- Sub: Kristijan Jakić – N/A
Fan reaction
Ziyech really proving the claims of him not working hard off the ball wrong this World Cup. It would be surprising if he continues to struggle for game time for Chelsea.#FIFAWorldCup #CROMAR
— Ojas Rane (@Ojas_Rane7) December 17, 2022
bring him to the Premier League. https://t.co/Akrgdbtl5q
— Kamo (@Kamorabothata) December 17, 2022
Heroes ❤️🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/GZwoCxsFZ4
— عُمَرْ (@OmarEissa201) December 17, 2022
Hey Ziyech to the carpet PLEASEEEE he’d actually cook under Arteta
— Junaid kassam🇰🇪 (@Junaidkassam) December 17, 2022
Expert analysis
Josko Gvardiol & Achraf Dari’s goals means that this is the first match at this World Cup in which 2 Centre Backs have scored.
Two great diving headers. 💥 pic.twitter.com/yqx9pKLdG7
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 17, 2022
⚠️ | QUICK STAT
Achraf Dari has just become the first African player ever to score a goal in a #FIFAWorldCup third place play-off match.
Quick response by The Atlas Lions! 🇲🇦🔥#CROMAR #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/IbS6e4nok9
— Sofascore (@SofascoreINT) December 17, 2022
Ziyech is really turning on the style today.
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) December 17, 2022
2014: Two goals, one assist
2018: Three goals, one assist
2022: One goal, three assistsIvan Perisic has registered 11 goal involvements across the last three World Cups; only Lionel Messi (16) has more.#HRV | #FIFAWorldCup
[Stat: @OptaJoe] pic.twitter.com/7QNAk2Nu7v
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) December 17, 2022
20 – Scoring against Morocco today, Josko Gvardiol became the youngest Croatian ever to score in a FIFA World Cup match (20 years and 328 days). Future. #FIFAWorldCup #CROMAR pic.twitter.com/qWIPugz5Rr
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) December 17, 2022
Walid Regragui bringing on Ilias Chair means that Morocco has used 22/23 outfield players in their squad during this tournament
It also means Ziyech is no longer on the right-wing, but will instead play more centrally and play deeper – I think you’ll get more out of him there
— Maher Mezahi (@MezahiMaher) December 17, 2022
Fun to see Bilal El Khannouss get some game time at this World Cup. Easy to see his talent in his touches: the way he pops into spaces, shifts the ball at his feet, sees the creative option. Another milestone in his expediated rise from academy football this season.
— Scouted Football (@scoutedftbl) December 17, 2022
🔎 | FOCUS
Hakim Ziyech v Croatia:
👌 90 touches
🔑 1 key pass
👟 51/64 accurate passes
💨 5/7 successful dribbles
⚔️ 6/11 duels won
🧲 3 interceptions
📈 7.7 Sofascore ratingDespite suffering defeat, he’s our Player of the Match. 🇲🇦💫#CROMAR #Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/OBopmcetLB
— Sofascore (@SofascoreINT) December 17, 2022
Final, Croácia 2-1 Marrocos pic.twitter.com/LISQ2l09eB
— Leonardo Bertozzi (@lbertozzi) December 17, 2022
Luka Modric plays in (probably) his last World Cup game for Croatia.
He finished with more touches than any of his team-mates. Standard stuff.#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/HZMgAbdhQ2
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) December 17, 2022
