Philadelphia, Jun 28 (V7N) – Croatia secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ghana in their final Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, booking their place in the Round of 32 as group runners-up.
The match was played in Philadelphia, United States, at 3:00 a.m. Bangladesh time.
The 2018 World Cup runners-up took the lead in the 33rd minute through Petar Sučić, whose powerful long-range strike gave Croatia a deserved advantage before halftime.
Ghana responded strongly after the break and restored parity in the 73rd minute when Derrick Lucassen found the net from a well-worked set-piece, reviving his side's hopes.
However, the deadlock lasted only 10 minutes. In the 83rd minute, veteran midfielder Luka Modrić delivered a pinpoint corner that Nikola Vlašić headed home to restore Croatia's lead and seal all three points.
During the first half, Croatia briefly appeared on course to finish as Group L champions. However, England's 2-0 victory over Panama in the other group fixture meant the Three Lions claimed top spot, leaving Croatia to qualify as runners-up.
With the victory, Croatia advanced to the Round of 32, where they will face the runners-up from Group K.
Despite the defeat, Ghana also progressed to the knockout stage after securing qualification through their results in the previous two group matches. They will now take on the winners of Group K in the Round of 32.
END/SMA/AJ
