Croatia, who began their World Cup campaign with a defeat to England, finished strongly as they secured a place in the knockout stage. They booked their Round of 32 ticket as Group L runners-up after a 2–1 win over Ghana in their final group match.
Both teams started the game aggressively. The deadlock was broken in the 30th minute when Croatia’s midfielder Petar Sucic found the net. After a VAR review, the referee confirmed the goal in the 31st minute. Croatia went into halftime leading 1–0.
After the break, Ghana pushed hard for an equaliser. They finally levelled in the 73rd minute when Derrick Lukassen finished a volley from a free-kick delivered by Ernest Nuamah. The assistant referee initially flagged for offside, but the goal stood after a VAR review.
However, Ghana’s joy was short-lived. Just 10 minutes later, Nikola Vlasic restored Croatia’s lead with a header from a corner.
No further goals were scored, and Croatia held on for a 2–1 victory. With the result, Croatia finished as runners-up in Group L to secure a place in the last 32 of the World Cup. Ghana, meanwhile, also progressed to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams with four points.
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