AL RAYYAN: Strikes from Josko Gvardiol and Mislav Orsic put Croatia in the driver’s seat against Morocco in their FIFA World Cup third-place playoff match, with the scoreline reading 2-1 at the end of the first half at Al Rayyan on Saturday.
Starting off the match, Moroccon goalkeeper Yassine Bounou almost scored an own goal after miscuing his own pass, but it went out for a corner.
Croatia took the lead in the seventh minute, courtesy a superb header from Josko Gvardiol.
The first African team to reach World Cup semis made things equal in the ninth minute itself, as Achraf Dari headed past Livakovic from close range after a free-kick by Ziyech, headed high in the air by Croatia’s Lovro Majer found him. In nine minutes, the scoreline read 1-1.
Luka Modric almost handed Croatia the lead in the 24th minute, but the goalkeeper Bounou shovelled the ball away before recovering to prevent
Marko Livaja from rebounding in.
Morocco also made a chance in the 29th minute. Achraf Hakimi’s cross evaded the head of Youssef En-Nesyri and it was the second missed opportunity in the last five minutes to score.
In the 37th minute, Ziyech’s corner was flicked on at the front post by Youssef, but to no avail as his header flashed wide past the goal.
A 42nd-minute strike from Mislav Orsic put Croatia back in the lead.
At half-time, the scoreline read 2-1 in favour of Croatia. (ANI)