Morocco and Croatia kicked off an intense match to secure a spot at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third place on Saturday, the first World Cup such face-off involving an African and Arab team, was officially commenced.
Only twice have Croatia and Morocco faced off, with the second game ending in a 0-0 draw in the group stage of this tournament. In the semi-final of the King Hassan II International Cup, their first meeting in 1996 similarly ended in a stalemate at 2-2, although Croatia ultimately won 7-6 on penalties.
Hosted at the Khalifa International Stadium, the third-place game was a major one for both teams, though even more so for Morocco, which is the only African and Arab team to have ever reached the third-place face-off of the World Cup; in the first Arab-hosted World Cup.
The journey of the Atlas Lions to the 2022 World Cup has inspired football fans in the area and sparked an Arab and Muslim unity wave in the region and worldwide.
A largely dominant Morocco crowd filled the 45,857 capacity stadium, which was flooded with the sounds of distracting whistles when Morocco was in possession of the ball. Almost an entire full house, the attendance at the stadium stood at 44,137.
Two goals in two minutes
An own goal was seen as imminent by fan favourite Yassine Bono during minute three of the nerve-wracking game. He made a straightforward pass across the penalty area, and the Croatia corner was awarded when the ball ran just past the far post.
Minute seven witnessed a Croatian ball inside the Moroccan net. The free kick was placed within the left channel, 30 yards from the goal. Croatia’s Perisic swung a header back over the face of the box. At a distance of 12 yards, Gvardiol pounced on the ball and beat Bono to it with a fantastic diving header.
Gvardiol became the youngest Croatian to score in a FIFA World Cup game with the opening goal, though.
Morocco’s Achraf Dari immediately equalised with a superb goal in minute nine. When Modric’s head accidentally looped Ziyech’s inswinging free-kick towards his own goal, Dari reacted quickly and headed beyond Livakovic from five yards away. That was considered his first goal on foreign soil.
Croatia’s lead was reclaimed by Mislav Orsic during the 42nd minute of the game. Croatia’s Livaja passed the ball outside to Orsic, who sprinted around it on the left edge of the box and used his right foot to secure a first-time shot across the goal. It deflected off Morocco’s goalkeeper, struck the inside of the far post, and found the back of the net.
Many substitutions took place in the second half of the game as both teams strive to rise above. A desperate Morocco team was looking to loft another goal to take lead once again and a Croatian team was looking for another score to safeguard its spot as third-place winner at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Ilias Chair has been substituted in for Abdelhamid Sabiri by Morocco at halftime.
Another substitution at minute 56 of the game saw Morocco replace Bilal El Khannouss with Azzedine Ounahi.
Croatia then replaced Andrej Kramaric, who was in tears as he was leaving the pitch, by Nikola Vlasic at minute 61.
Moments later, Morocco’s Jawad El Yamiq is injured, leaving Morocco’s defence at risk of attack.
Ten minutes later, Croatia has its 12th attempt at goal though the Moroccan side looks determined to secure third place.
The referee angers both sides in the second half by refusing to give two penalties, one from a challenge by Amrabat and the other by Croatia’s Petkovic.
With ten minutes left to the full-time whistle, the game heats up and both sides are on the offensive. Kovacic goes just wide after an attempt at goal, leaving fans in the stands on the edge of their seats.
With six minutes extra time added, Morocco is unable to go the full yard with an equalising goal. The Atlas Lions bow out in fourth place after a historic run at Qatar 2022, becoming the first African and Arab team to reach such heights at the World Cup.
