Four years after the runner-up in Russia, Croatia is again on the podium of a World Cup. This Saturday (17), the checkered team defeated Morocco by 2-1, at the Khalifa International Stadium, in Doha, in the dispute for third place in the World Cup.
Croatia take the #FIFAWorldCup 3rd spot! ??@adidasfootball ?? #Qatar2022
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 17, 2022
The campaign repeats that of the first participation in World Cups, 24 years ago, in France. At the time, the Croatians fell to the hosts in the semifinals, by 2 to 1, but turned around by beating the Netherlands, by the same score, also ensuring the third place.
The triumph in Doha was “the last dance” in the World Cups of the main name of the generation that made Croatians dream of the top of football. At the age of 37, Luka Modric had already announced that the 2022 Cup, the fourth of his career, would be his last. The number 10 did not show, in Qatar, all the brilliance of four years ago, when he was elected the best player in the competition and, later, won the FIFA Ballon d’Or. Even so, he was instrumental in the checkered campaign, especially in the quarterfinals, when he was the owner of the midfield in the game against Brazil.
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 17, 2022
On the other hand, the defeat marked the end of the fairy tale of the first African team to reach the semifinals of a World Cup. And to think that, three months ago, it wasn’t Walid Regragui, but the Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic, who would be in charge of the Lions of the Atlas in Qatar. Born in France but of Moroccan descent, Regragui took over after his predecessor was sacked over “differences of opinion” with the federation. Among the “differences” was the failure to call up midfielder Hakim Ziyech, one of the country’s stars.
Interestingly, Croatians and Moroccans started the Qatari journey together, with a tasteless goalless draw at Al Bayt Stadium, in Al Khor. Both overcame competition from Belgium and Canada, in Group F, to advance to the round of 16. On different sides of the draw, the Europeans needed penalties to dispatch Japan and Brazil, but could not resist Argentina. The Africans, who also went to the limelight to eliminate Spain and who overcame Portugal in normal time, stopped only in France.
The historic campaign and the recognition of the crowd, which took over the Qatari stands throughout the Cup, showed Morocco that there was still something to fight for in Qatar. No wonder, Regragui sent the best formation possible to the field. Full-back Noussair Mazraoui and defender and captain Romain Saïss, injured, were replaced by Yahya Attiat-Allah and midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri, respectively. With that, the Moroccan coach re-edited the 4-3-3 of most of the Cup, instead of the formation with three defenders adopted in the setback for the French. A third change, this one at the commander’s option, was the departure of Azzedine Ounahi for the addition of midfielder Bilal El Khannous.
??#HRV #SEA ?? #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/0KrclYqVwa
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 17, 2022
On the Croatian side, Zlatko Dalic significantly changed the team. There were five changes from the loss to Argentina, with defender Dejan Lovren, full-backs Josip Juranovic and Borna Sosa and midfielders Marcelo Brozovic and Mario Pasalic giving way to Josip Stanisic, Josip Sutalo, Mislav Orsic, Lovro Majer and Marko Livaja. The 4-3-3 became a 3-5-2. The exchanges, however, did not mean neglecting the consolation game, but a team with a different posture, with the proposal to be less defensive and more relaxed.
Contrary to what they provided in the first phase, Moroccans and Croatians played an open match, with two goals in less than ten minutes. The Europeans opened the works. At six, Majer took a free kick on the left edge of the area, striker Ivan Perisic scored inside and defender Josko Gvardiol scored with a header. The Atlas Lions’ answer came two minutes later with Achraf Dari. After a ball raised in the area by Ziyech and deflected by Majer, the defender anticipated goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic and checked in the small area.
The man in the mask ?
A well-earned #FIFAWorldCup goal for this rising ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/TvZNSkT2ZS
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 17, 2022
Considered Morocco’s main weapon throughout the Cup, the defensive system seemed less concentrated than in other games, giving Croatia spaces to finish. The absence of the starting duo (Saïss and Nayef Aguerd, also injured) made a difference. The checkered team shot eight times in the first half (twice as many as the Africans), four of them towards Yassine Bounou’s goal (all inside the area). In one of them, at the 41st minute, midfielder Mateo Kovacic disarmed Attiat-Allah and rolled on the left to Orsic, who hit it first, covering the goalkeeper and scoring a great goal.
On the way back from the break, the wear of the teams was evident. Croatia, who played two extra times in the Cup, closed the lines and made it possible for Morocco to have more of the ball in attack. The Africans, in turn, suffered from the absence of important players due to injury and ran into a lack of creativity. Clear chances, there were two, with Youssef En-Nesyri. In the 29th minute, Attiat-Allah crossed from the left, the Croatian defense barely cleared it and the ball was left at the attacker’s feet, in Livakovic’s face, but the goalkeeper saved the shot in the beak of the small area.
An absolute beauty of a finish ?#HRV ?? #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/2NkoI8c2bs
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 17, 2022
In stoppage time, the Attiat-Allah/En-Nesyri double worked again. Or almost, since the striker’s header, after a cross from the winger, again from the left, went over. After the final whistle, the Moroccan players complained a lot to the referees, contesting the non-marking of alleged penalties in favor of the Atlas Lions.
