2018 World Cup runners-up share points with Morocco.
(Baonghean.vn) - Despite controlling the game better, Croatia did not create more opportunities than their opponent, and therefore had to share the points with Morocco in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup.
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Croatia struggled against Morocco's well-organized defense. |
Despite being considered the favorites, Croatia struggled to get close to Morocco's goal. In the first half, Modric's team had slightly more possession (59%). However, Croatia didn't create significantly more chances than their opponents. Morocco's well-organized defense was a positive factor that prevented them from being completely outplayed by Croatia. To create opportunities, Modric and his teammates mainly relied on shots from outside the penalty area. In the first 15 minutes of the match, Croatia only created one significant chance. The dangerous situation came from a long-range shot by Ivan Perisic, but unfortunately, the ball went over the Moroccan goal.
Contrary to expectations, Hakimi's team was not at all outmatched by their opponent. If they had taken their chances better, Morocco could have taken the lead.
In the second half, the game remained largely unchanged from the first. Surprisingly, it was Morocco who had the first scoring opportunity. In the 65th minute, from a set piece, a teammate passed the ball to Hakimi, who unleashed a powerful and accurate shot, but the Croatian goalkeeper made the save.
In the final minutes, Morocco took the initiative. However, their strikers lacked a bit of sharpness. As a result, the match ended without either team scoring a goal.
In the next matches, Morocco will face Belgium and Croatia will take on Canada.
