PHILADELPHIA — Nikola Vlasic headed in Luka Modric’s 83rd-minute corner to lift Croatia to a 2-1 victory over Ghana on Saturday and a second-place finish in World Cup Group L.
Vlasic’s perfect finish off the inside of the left post came 10 minutes after Derrick Luckassen had pulled Ghana level on his international debut, with half the time in between spent on a VAR review determining whether he was onside.
Petar Sucic scored early for Croatia (2-1-0, 6 points), who needed only a draw to reach the last 32. Claiming the second-place spot guaranteed the 2022 third-place finishers a meeting with Portugal, the second-place team in Group K, on Thursday in Toronto.
“We’re not going to be euphoric about this,” Croatian manager Zlatko Dalic said. “We’re going to prepare for the next match and try to win the next match as well.”
Modric played his first full 90 minutes of the tournament and had arguably his best match while becoming the oldest player in World Cup history to contribute an assist.
“Luka was truly fantastic,” Dalic said. “Just as he was throughout his career, he was like that tonight. And I’m very glad that this is how it turned out tonight.”
Ghana (1-1-1, 4 points), who finished third in the group, were already assured of qualification. They will meet Colombia, the winners of Group K, on Friday in Kansas City, Mo.
Sucic gave Croatia a deserved lead after 31 minutes with a long-range strike into the bottom left corner.
“I think first half, we had the ball but we didn’t do a lot with it,” Luckassen said of his Ghana side. “We were just playing around. … And second half, we pressed forward, we tried to put the balls in, and it was a lot better in the second half.”
Ghana were indeed much improved in the second half, but Luckassen’s 73rd-minute goal was their first effort on target.
Ernest Nuamah delivered an in-swinging free kick over Croatia’s defensive line and Luckassen clearly came from an onside position to knock the ball into the net at the back post.
Referee Drew Fischer was summoned to the monitor, where he determined that Kwasi Sibol, who was in an offside position, did not interfere in the play.
Ghanaian joy was short-lived, however, as Modric’s corner sailed beyond the penalty spot toward the back post, where Vlasic was given space to meet it with the side of his head and nod it downwards in the one place goalkeeper Benjamin Asare could not save it.
Luckassen was only on the field because manager Carlos Queiroz spared his three players on yellow cards.
“It was a nice feeling,” Luckassen said of his goal. “But I’m a bit disappointed about the loss.”
Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo limped off in the late stages after sustaining an apparent ankle injury, but he was able to return to complete the 90 minutes.
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
