Croatia vs Ghana

The VAR review that confirmed Luckassen's equaliser. Ghana had momentum after the 73rd-minute goal, and had the decision gone the other way, it would have been a different game. Instead, Croatia used the delay to regroup, and Dalic immediately sent on Ante Budimir (66') and later Kovačić (78') to regain midfield control. Within ten minutes of the restart, Modrić had delivered the corner that decided the match.

Nikola Vlašić — The match-winner. Hit the post early, kept asking questions of Ghana's defence, and produced a perfectly timed run and finish from Modrić's corner. His positional intelligence to lose his marker at the near post was the difference.

Luka Modrić — At 40 years and 291 days old, the Croatia captain became the oldest player on record (since 1966) to provide a World Cup assist. His 22nd World Cup appearance moved him above Diego Maradona and level with Manuel Neuer on the all-time list. His set-piece delivery was immaculate when it mattered most.

Petar Sučić — The 23-year-old's first World Cup goal was a strike of genuine quality. Composed, technically clean, and taken early enough to set the tone for Croatia's first-half control.

Derrick Luckassen — The Ghana defender scored his first international goal and was a threat from set-pieces throughout. His physical presence caused Croatia problems, and his finish under pressure showed composure.

Player of the match: Nikola Vlašić

The provider stats tell a story of fine margins. Croatia's 53% possession and 8 shots (4 on target) against Ghana's 6 (1 on target) reflect a game where neither side dominated. More revealing is the xG: Ghana's 0.73 edged Croatia's 0.46 — the first time in the tournament a losing side had the higher xG — illustrating that Ghana created the better chances despite fewer shots. The difference was finishing: Croatia converted 2 of 4 shots on target; Ghana converted 1 of 1. The VAR delay on the Luckassen goal (confirmed after a three-minute check) also added six minutes of stoppage time, though neither side could capitalise.

Croatia finish second in Group L on 4 points, level with Ghana but ahead on head-to-head result. They advance to the round of 32 where they will face the Group K runners-up — likely Portugal or Colombia — in Toronto on Friday 3 July. Ghana, who already secured qualification before kick-off, finish third in the group and will face the Group K winners in Kansas City on the same day. England topped Group L with 7 points after beating Panama 2-0. Scotland, who needed a Croatia defeat to stay alive, were eliminated.

For Croatia, this marks the third consecutive World Cup where they have escaped the group stage — following a runners-up finish in 2018 and third place in 2022. Their defensive xG (0.73 conceded) was below the tournament average, but Modrić's set-piece delivery and Vlašić's finishing papered over a performance that lacked sustained control.

This was a functional rather than fluent win from Croatia, decided by one moment of set-piece quality from their evergreen captain. Ghana will feel they deserved a point based on chances created, but Croatia's experience in tight knockout-style matches showed when it counted. Both teams progress, but only one carries momentum into the round of 32.