Croatia advanced to the World Cup knockout stage with a 2-1 win over Ghana on Saturday. Nikola Vlašić scored the winning goal in the 83rd minute, heading in a corner kick from Luka Modrić. Modrić, 40, became the oldest player in World Cup history with an assist.
Match Recap
Petar Sučić scored in the 31st minute to give Croatia a 1-0 lead. Derrick Luckassen equalized for Ghana in the 73rd minute, but Vlašić’s goal secured the win for Croatia. The victory means Croatia finished second in Group L, behind England.
Modrić’s performance was praised by his teammates, with Sučić saying he played like a 20-year-old. Vlašić also praised Modrić, saying he seemed to turn back time 10 years.
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz said the fatal mistake on the header cost his team the game. Croatia will play in the knockout round on July 4, against the winner of Germany-Paraguay or France-Sweden.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
