FIFA World Cup: Croatia beat Morocco to earn second-straight top three finish

Croatia defeated Morocco 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday. 

Mislav Orsic's late first-half strike helped Croatia win after two early goals inside the first nine minutes set the tone for a exciting encounter. Achraf Dari cancelled out Josko Gvardiol's opener for Croatia.

Croatia and Morocco lost to Argentina and France, respectively, in the semi-final before today's consolation match. 

Moroccan fans turned up in massive numbers to support their team as they jeered the Croatian players but this did not deter Croatia, who started the game on the front foot and took the lead in the seventh minute through a set-piece.

A cross floated into the box found Ivan Perisic who expertly headed the ball into the mix where the masked Gvardiol bravely dived in for the header to silence the Moroccan contingent, albeit briefly.

Two minutes later, Morocco responded at the other end with a set piece of their own when a cross came off Lovro Majer's head and looped into the box where an unmarked Dari beat the keeper with a header.

Emboldened by the equaliser, Morocco began to find chinks in the Croatian defence, with their movement and passing helping to create several chances. But the African side lacked the killer instinct in front of goal.

Croatia duly punished them in the 42nd minute when an interception in the final third found Orsic, whose curling shot arched beautifully from a tight angle past the outstretched arm of Yassine Bounou before going in off the post.

The second half was not as fast or feisty as the first as exhaustion after a long tournament seemed to have caught up with both teams, playing their seventh game in Qatar.

Croatia also felt hard done by when Gvardiol looked to have been tripped in the box by Sofyan Amrabat, now playing in defence with their centre backs injured, but the referee refused to award a penalty.

Youssef En-Nesyri came close when he headed over in stoppage time but despite Morocco's best efforts to find an equaliser, Croatia held on for victory and the bronze, matching the feat of their heroes from 1998 who also finished third.