Vlašić scores winner as Croatia beats Ghana 2-1 to reach World Cup knockout stage

Vlašić headed home Modrić’s corner in the 83rd minute to score the winner and put Croatia back in contention after it finished third in 2022. The win means Croatia finished second behind England in Group L, with Ghana third.

“On the goal, I think I needed to do a block,” Vlašić said. “But the ball arrived to me so I shot it with my head. It’s not like it was some action but thank God the goal went in and we won the game.”

Modric at 40 years, 291 days set the assist record back to records kept since 1966.

Modric won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, the only time from 2008-21 that Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t win it. He played in his 200th international game in this World Cup and remained the best player for the Vatreni in this tournament.

“Luka was unbelievable today,” Vlašić said. “I swear, it seems like he turned time (back) 10 years. Really, one of the best performances I saw him doing in a Croatia shirt.”

Sučić scored in the 31st minute for Croatia on an absolute rocket from outside the box for his second career international goal.

Derrick Luckassen scored the equalizer that —- after a brief review — sent thousands of fans wearing yellow into a frenzy. Luckassen, brother of the Netherlands’ Brian Brobbey, found the bottom right corner in the 73rd minute to make it 1-1 and the first of the five group stage games in Philadelphia where both teams scored.

Ghana goalie Benjamin Asare briefly kept it a tie game on a diving stop off the top of his hand that sent the ball over the net but failed only a minute later to stop Vlašić.

Vlašić wagged his tongue and ran toward his teammates with outstretched arms in celebration.

Sučić helped Croatia take a 1-0 lead into halftime in a game where a couple of near misses prevented it from building a more comfortable lead. Vlašić bonked one of the posts earlier in the half, and Modric’s cross on a free kick into the box was headed over the bar by Marin Pongračić.

Ghana seemed poised to tie the game late in the half when Antoine Semenyo beat his man and fired a shot that slid across the Kentucky bluegrass and went just wide of the left post.

Semenyo was one of the few prominent attackers in this tournament to go without a goal in the first three games. He finished third in the Premier League with 17 goals last season and was one of Manchester City’s best players after it bought him from Bournemouth, yet couldn’t connect in the World up against Panama, England and even Croatia’s backline.

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland have dazzled in the World Cup where every game has seemed like a showcase for the tournament’s top stars.

The good news for Semenyo is, there’s at least one more shot for him to bust through for Ghana.

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz said the fatal mistake on the header cost the Black Stars the game.

“Two easy goals,” Queiroz said. “When you score one more goal than the opponent, that means you have the merit to win the game.”

Croatia won the last of the five group stage games in Philadelphia with the next one set for the knockout round on July 4. The match will include the winner of Germany-Paraguay vs. the winner of France-Sweden.

“We didn’t lose our head,” Vlašić said. “We believed in ourselves, and today we can celebrate a little bit because we showed character.”

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Dan Gelston, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

Vlašić scores winner as Croatia beats Ghana 2-1 to reach World Cup knockout stage

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