FIFA World Cup

Croatia vs Ghana, 2026 FIFA World Cup, Group Stage

· FIFA World Cup
Croatia
  • 31': Petar Sucic
  • 83': Nikola Vlasic
FT
2 - 1
Ghana
  • 73': Derrick Luckassen

Croatia edge Ghana to clinch spot in World Cup knockouts

Croatia earned a spot in the World Cup knockout round, getting goals from Nikola Vlasic and Luka Sucic to beat Ghana 2-1 on Saturday.

Match Timeline

  • 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
  • 0': First Half begins.
  • 1': Foul by Marvin Senaya (Ghana).
  • 1': Martin Baturina (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 4': Foul by Kamaldeen Sulemana (Ghana).
  • 4': Petar Sucic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 8': Martin Baturina (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 8': Foul by Elisha Owusu (Ghana).
  • 17': Nikola Vlasic (Croatia) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Martin Baturina following a fast break.
  • 20': Petar Sucic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 20': Foul by Kwasi Sibo (Ghana).
  • 21': Attempt missed. Marin Pongracic (Croatia) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Luka Modric with a cross following a set piece situation.
  • 24': Foul by Ante Budimir (Croatia).
  • 24': Thomas Partey (Ghana) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 25': Delay in match for a drinks break.
  • 29': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 30': Martin Baturina (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 30': Foul by Elisha Owusu (Ghana).
  • 30': Attempt saved. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Benjamin Asare (Ghana). Assisted by Luka Modric with a cross.
  • 31': Goal! Croatia 1, Ghana 0. Petar Sucic (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mateo Kovacic.
  • 35': Martin Baturina (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 35': Foul by Kwasi Sibo (Ghana).
  • 38': Attempt blocked. Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Petar Sucic.
  • 40': Attempt missed. Antoine Semenyo (Ghana) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jonas Adjetey.
  • 43': Gideon Mensah (Ghana) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 43': Foul by Nikola Vlasic (Croatia).
  • 45': Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
  • 45'+1': Foul by Thomas Partey (Ghana).
  • 45'+1': Petar Sucic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 45'+4': First Half ends, Croatia 1, Ghana 0.
  • 45': Substitution, Ghana. Kojo Peprah Oppong replaces Jonas Adjetey.
  • 45': Substitution, Ghana. Abdul Fatawu replaces Elisha Owusu.
  • 45': Second Half begins Croatia 1, Ghana 0.
  • 47': Attempt missed. Abdul Fatawu (Ghana) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Derrick Luckassen.
  • 51': Foul by Ante Budimir (Croatia).
  • 51': Marvin Senaya (Ghana) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 53': Offside, Ghana. Antoine Semenyo is caught offside.
  • 53': Foul by Marvin Senaya (Ghana).
  • 53': Martin Baturina (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 55': Derrick Luckassen (Ghana) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 55': Foul by Ante Budimir (Croatia).
  • 56': Corner, Ghana. Conceded by Luka Modric.
  • 57': Attempt blocked. Kamaldeen Sulemana (Ghana) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
  • 59': Dominik Livakovic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 59': Foul by Jordan Ayew (Ghana).
  • 65': Corner, Ghana. Conceded by Josip Stanisic.
  • 66': Substitution, Croatia. Igor Matanovic replaces Ante Budimir.
  • 68': Abdul Fatawu (Ghana) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 68': Foul by Ivan Perisic (Croatia).
  • 68': Ivan Perisic (Croatia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 69': Delay in match for a drinks break.
  • 71': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 71': Substitution, Ghana. Brandon Thomas-Asante replaces Jordan Ayew.
  • 71': Substitution, Ghana. Ernest Nuamah replaces Kamaldeen Sulemana.
  • 72': Thomas Partey (Ghana) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
  • 72': Foul by Marin Pongracic (Croatia).
  • 73': Goal! Croatia 1, Ghana 1. Derrick Luckassen (Ghana) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ernest Nuamah with a cross following a set piece situation.Goal awarded following VAR Review.
  • 76': VAR Decision: Goal Croatia 1-1 Ghana (Derrick Luckassen).
  • 78': Substitution, Croatia. Mario Pasalic replaces Mateo Kovacic.
  • 80': Abdul Fatawu (Ghana) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 80': Foul by Nikola Vlasic (Croatia).
  • 81': Marvin Senaya (Ghana) wins a free kick on the right wing.
  • 81': Foul by Martin Baturina (Croatia).
  • 82': Attempt saved. Mario Pasalic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal by Benjamin Asare (Ghana). Assisted by Martin Baturina.
  • 82': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Benjamin Asare.
  • 83': Goal! Croatia 2, Ghana 1. Nikola Vlasic (Croatia) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Luka Modric with a cross following a corner.
  • 84': Foul by Kwasi Sibo (Ghana).
  • 84': Igor Matanovic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 85': Substitution, Ghana. Caleb Yirenkyi replaces Kwasi Sibo.
  • 87': Delay in match because of an injury Antoine Semenyo (Ghana).
  • 88': Substitution, Croatia. Josko Gvardiol replaces Nikola Vlasic.
  • 88': Substitution, Croatia. Marco Pasalic replaces Martin Baturina.
  • 88': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
  • 89': Offside, Croatia. Igor Matanovic is caught offside.
  • 90': Offside, Ghana. Antoine Semenyo is caught offside.
  • 90': Foul by Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana).
  • 90': Petar Sucic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 90'+1': Fourth official has announced 7 minutes of added time.
  • 90'+1': Foul by Marvin Senaya (Ghana).
  • 90'+1': Josko Gvardiol (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
  • 90'+2': Brandon Thomas-Asante (Ghana) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 90'+2': Foul by Marin Pongracic (Croatia).
  • 90'+2': Attempt blocked. Mario Pasalic (Croatia) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Luka Modric.
  • 90'+2': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Gideon Mensah.
  • 90'+4': Attempt blocked. Marvin Senaya (Ghana) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ernest Nuamah.
  • 90'+4': Foul by Kojo Peprah Oppong (Ghana).
  • 90'+4': Kojo Peprah Oppong (Ghana) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
  • 90'+4': Igor Matanovic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
  • 90'+5': Corner, Croatia. Conceded by Marvin Senaya.
  • 90'+7': Attempt missed. Abdul Fatawu (Ghana) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Gideon Mensah.
  • 90'+8': Second Half ends, Croatia 2, Ghana 1.
  • 0': Match ends, Croatia 2, Ghana 1.

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/countries/500/gha.png&h=25&scale=crop&w=25&location=originGHA CROhttps://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/countries/500/cro.png&h=25&scale=crop&w=25&location=origin
13 Fouls 9
1 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0
2 Offsides 1
2 Corner Kicks 3
2 Saves 0
46.7 Possession 53.3
6 SHOTS 8
1 ON GOAL 4
0.2 On Target % 0.5
0 Penalty Goals 0
0 Penalty Kicks Taken 0
402 Accurate Passes 477
455 Passes 523
0.9 Pass Completion % 0.9
3 Accurate Crosses 3
12 Crosses 15
0.3 Cross % 0.2
39 Long Balls 38
18 Accurate Long Balls 16
0.5 Long Balls % 0.4
2 Blocked Shots 2
7 Effective Tackles 8
13 Tackles 14
0.5 Tackle % 0.6
9 Interceptions 4
11 Effective Clearances 23
11 Clearances 23

Game Information

Competition: FIFA World Cup

Venue: Lincoln Financial Field
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Attendance: 68,324

FIFA World Cup Table

# TEAM GP GD PTS
1 England 3 +4 7
2 Croatia 3 0 6
3 Ghana 3 0 4
4 Panama 3 -4 0
Full Table

Line-Ups

CRO Croatia (4-2-3-1)

No. Name
1 Dominik Livakovic (GK)
3 Marin Pongracic
6 Josip Sutalo
14 Ivan Perisic Yellow Card
2 Josip Stanisic
17 Petar Sucic
8 Mateo Kovacic
10 Luka Modric
11 Ante Budimir
16 Martin Baturina
13 Nikola Vlasic
Croatia Substitutes:
Duje Caleta-Car, Martin Erlic, Mario Pasalic, Marco Pasalic, Igor Matanovic, Kristijan Jakic, Nikola Moro, Andrej Kramaric, Luka Sucic, Dominik Kotarski, Josko Gvardiol, Ivor Pandur, Luka Vuskovic, Petar Musa, Toni Fruk.

GHA Ghana (4-1-4-1)

No. Name
16 Benjamin Asare (GK)
23 Derrick Luckassen
4 Jonas Adjetey
5 Thomas Partey
14 Gideon Mensah
26 Marvin Senaya
8 Kwasi Sibo
15 Elisha Owusu
22 Kamaldeen Sulemana
11 Antoine Semenyo
9 Jordan Ayew
Ghana Substitutes:
Abdul Mumin, Joseph Anang, Jerome Opoku, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Iñaki Williams, Caleb Yirenkyi, Fatawu Issahaku, Alidu Seidu, Augustine Boakye, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Lawrence Ati Zigi, Kojo Peprah Oppong, Ernest Nuamah, Prince Adu, Baba Rahman.

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