Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 in a decisive Group L match to secure a place in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nikola Vlašić scored the winning goal late in the game to send the Vatreni through to the Round of 32.
Dalić surprises everyone with an unexpected lineup
Croatian football team head coach Zlatko Dalić made a bold tactical decision for the must-win clash against Ghana.
Instead of using his usual formation with natural wingers, he strengthened the midfield by starting Petar Sučić alongside Luka Modrić and Mateo Kovačić, while Nikola Vlašić was handed a place in the starting 11. Marco Pašalić and Joško Gvardiol were left out of the lineup, a decision that surprised both fans and football pundits.
In the end, Dalić’s tactical plan paid off, with Vlašić scoring the decisive goal in the 83rd minute. Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 to send the Vatreni into the knockout stage.
From Sučić’s opener to Vlašić’s winner
Croatia’s tactical approach worked from the opening whistle. Ghana struggled to cope with Croatia’s extra midfielder, allowing the Vatreni to control possession and dictate the tempo of the match. Their dominance paid off in the 31st minute when Petar Sučić fired Croatia into the lead with a precise finish.
Ghana came out much more aggressively after the break and equalised in the 73rd minute following a sustained period of pressure. Derrick Luckassen found the net, with the goal confirmed after a VAR review.
The Vatreni responded brilliantly. Just ten minutes later, Nikola Vlašić headed home from Luka Modrić’s corner to restore the lead and seal a 2-1 victory, proving that Dalić’s tactical gamble had paid off.
The Croatian football team comfortably saw out the remainder of the match, keeping Ghana at bay to secure a deserved 2-1 victory.
The victory moved the Croatian football team onto six points, enough to finish second in Group L and secure a place in the knockout stage.
What’s next for Croatia, England, Ghana and Panama?
In the other Group L match, England defeated Panama 2-0 to finish top of the group with seven points. England will face DR Congo in the Round of 32 on July 1 in Atlanta.
The Croatian football team finished second with six points and will take on Portugal in the Round of 32 on July 2 in Toronto.
Ghana finished third with four points, which was enough to qualify as one of the eight best third-placed teams. They will face Colombia on July 3 in Kansas City.
Panama finished bottom of the group after losing all three matches and were eliminated from the tournament.
Final Group L standings
| Team | Played | Points |
| England | 3 | 7 |
| Croatia | 3 | 6 |
| Ghana | 3 | 4 |
| Panama | 3 | 0 |
What does the victory over Ghana mean for Croatian football team?
The win over Ghana secured Croatia second place in Group L with six points and a place among the final 32 teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
It also marks Croatia’s fourth consecutive qualification for the World Cup knockout stage, extending the remarkable consistency that has made the Vatreni one of international football’s most successful national teams in recent years.
If you’re wondering how a nation of fewer than four million people continues to compete with football’s biggest powers, we explored the answer in our feature Why Does Croatia Keep Producing World-Class Footballers?
The Vatreni will now face Portugal in the Round of 32 in Toronto on July 2. The winner will progress to the Round of 16, while the loser will be eliminated from the tournament.
Read next: Croatia vs Portugal: date, kick-off time, possible lineups and what to expect.
