World Cup

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World Cup | Third-Place Playoff

Dec 17, 2022 at 3pm UK

Khalifa International Stadium

Croatia
2 - 1
Morocco

Gvardiol (7'), Orsic (42')

FT(HT: 2-1)

Dari (9')
Ounahi (69'), Amallah (84')

World Cup 2022: Croatia vs. Morocco head-to-head record

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 16 December 2022

Ahead of Saturday's World Cup third-place playoff tie between Croatia and Morocco, Sports Mole looks at the head-to-head record between the two sides.

Croatia and Morocco will be looking to end their excellent World Cup campaigns on a high when they square off in the third-place playoff on Saturday.

While the majority of supporters around the world will insist that they have little interest in a match of reduced importance, the two nations involved will hold a different opinion.

That is particularly true in the case of Morocco, who became the first African team to reach the semi-finals before they were edged out 2-0 by France on Wednesday.

Despite that disappointment, the Atlas Lions still hold an opportunity to make history at the Khalifa International Stadium and set a benchmark which may not be eclipsed for some time.

From Croatia's perspective, they had been hoping to become just the sixth team to reach successive World Cup finals until they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Argentina in the last four.

However, if the Checkered Ones can prevail on Saturday, they will have achieved third place or better in three of their six appearances at the tournament.

Nikola Vlasic goes close for Croatia against Morocco in their World Cup fixture on November 23, 2022. © Reuters

The upcoming showdown between the two teams will be just their third in history, yet that is not to say that these countries should be regarded as strangers.

In fact, they are renewing acquaintances after less than a month since their most recent meeting, which came in their opening fixture in Group F.

At the time, it was perceived that Morocco had performed above their capabilities to earn a goalless draw with the 2018 runners-up, yet it proved to be Walid Regragui's side who would ultimately top their four-nation group.

Before that stalemate at the Al Bayt Stadium, the only other fixture came in 1996 when they squared off in the Hassan II Trophy in Casablanca.

Croatia ultimately prevailed from that semi-final tie 7-6 on penalties, but a thrilling 2-2 draw has been played out before they went to battle from 12 yards.

Goran Vlaovic put Croatia two goals to the good by the 15-minute mark, only for Salahedine Bassir and Ahmed Bahja ensuring that Morocco were level at the end of normal time.