Croatia reach World Cup knockouts after beating Ghana

Croatia booked their place in the World Cup last 32 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ghana in their final Group L match. The win secured second place for Croatia behind England, while Ghana had already qualified for the knockout stage before the match.

Croatia took the lead in the 31st minute through Luka Sučić, who scored a stunning long-range strike from outside the penalty area. It was the midfielder’s second international goal and gave Croatia a deserved advantage.

Ghana fought back strongly in the second half and equalised in the 73rd minute. Derrick Luckassen calmly placed his shot into the bottom corner after a brief VAR review confirmed the goal, sending Ghana’s fans into celebration. The match remained evenly balanced until the closing stages. Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare made an excellent diving save to keep his team level, but Croatia struck the winner just a minute later.

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Veteran captain Luka Modrić delivered a perfectly placed corner, and Nikola Vlašić rose above the defence to head the ball into the net in the 83rd minute. The late goal proved enough to secure Croatia’s victory and qualification. The result keeps Croatia’s hopes alive after the team finished third at the previous World Cup. Croatia will now head into the knockout stage with renewed confidence.

Despite the defeat, Ghana also progressed to the Round of 32 after having already secured qualification. It marks Ghana’s first appearance in the World Cup knockout stage since 2010. Both teams will now turn their attention to the next round as they continue their campaigns in the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.