DOHA: Croatia beat Morocco 2-1 in the World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday to leave Qatar on a high after the European side failed to reach a second consecutive final.
Mislav Orsic's late first-half strike was enough to settle the contest after two early goals inside the first nine minutes set the tone for a pulsating encounter, Achraf Dari cancelling out Josko Gvardiol's opener for Croatia.
A bronze medal may have served as nothing more than consolation after both sides endured disappointment in the semi-finals, but Croatia and Morocco looked eager to make amends after losing to Argentina and France respectively.
Moroccan fans have turned up in massive numbers to support their team in Qatar and Saturday was no different as they jeered the Croatian players whenever they had possession, their whistles echoing inside the packed Khalifa International Stadium.
That did not deter Croatia, however, who started the game on the front foot and took the lead in the seventh minute through a cleverly worked 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.
Reuters
Sat Dec 17 2022
Croatian players celebrate after teammate Mislav Orsic scored his side's second goal during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between Croatia and Morocco at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar. - AP photo
Pantau Agenda Reformasi: Pantau kenaikan gaji penjawat awam lebih 13 peratus
Prof Dr Balakrishnan Parasuraman, Dekan Pusat Pengajian Pascasiswazah UMK
Perincian kenaikan ketika pembentangan Belanjawan 2022
Menteri Komunikasi itu berkata kenaikan itu hanya boleh berlaku susulan pengurusan dan tatakelola yang lebih baik diamalkan Kerajaan Perpaduan, terutamanya dalam usaha melawan rasuah.
19 maut lebuh raya runtuh di Guangdong, China
Kejadian berlaku kira-kira 2.10 pagi di sebahagian Lebuhraya Meizhou-Dabu di Meizhou.
PM arah segera tubuh Suruhanjaya Pekerja GIG
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim turut memaklumkan pendapatan minimum penjawat awam meliputi gaji dan elaun mesti melebihi RM2,000 sebulan bermula tahun ini.
Kenaikan beri impak kepada perspektif ekonomi negara
Dr Yusof Saari berkata kenaikan gaji penjawat awam bakal memberi impak positif kepada pemulihan ekonomi.
Kementerian Pengangkutan pantau perkembangan ruang udara
Kementerian Pengangkutan (MoT) memantau rapi perkembangan terkini situasi Gunung Ruang, Indonesia yang dilaporkan meletus sebanyak tiga kali semalam dan mengakibatkan abu merebak ke negara ini.
Menteri Pengangkutan Anthony Loke berkata setakat ini letusan gunung berapi berkenaan telah menjejaskan sedikit ruang udara di Tawau, Sabah sehingga menyebabkan beberapa penerbangan ke daerah itu terpaksa dilencongkan ke Kota Kinabalu semalam.
Menteri Pengangkutan Anthony Loke berkata setakat ini letusan gunung berapi berkenaan telah menjejaskan sedikit ruang udara di Tawau, Sabah sehingga menyebabkan beberapa penerbangan ke daerah itu terpaksa dilencongkan ke Kota Kinabalu semalam.
Kebakaran sampah jejas kesihatan penduduk
Kebakaran kawasan pelupusan sampah di Kampung Sungai Ikan,Kuala Nerus sejak enam hari lalu menimbul kesulitan dan keresahan penduduk dikawasan berhampiran.
Penduduk mendakwa kebakaran itu mengakibatkan kawasan berkenaan diselubungi asap tebal hingga mengganggu rutin harian dan bimbang dengan tahap kesihatan mereka.
Penduduk mendakwa kebakaran itu mengakibatkan kawasan berkenaan diselubungi asap tebal hingga mengganggu rutin harian dan bimbang dengan tahap kesihatan mereka.
Dua pekerja pengsan dan dua lagi muntah
Dua pekerja lelaki pengsan, manakala dua lagi mengalami muntah dan loya selepas dipercayai terhidu gas phenol selepas kobocoran dari sebuah kilang di kawasan Lunas, Kulim.
Komander Operasi Kanan Pasukan Hazmat JBPM Kedah, Hamizul Azwan Hamdan berkata, bilik gerakan operasi bomba menerima panggilan berlaku kebocoran di sebuah kilang yang menggunakan bahan kimia pada jam 9.53 pagi.
Komander Operasi Kanan Pasukan Hazmat JBPM Kedah, Hamizul Azwan Hamdan berkata, bilik gerakan operasi bomba menerima panggilan berlaku kebocoran di sebuah kilang yang menggunakan bahan kimia pada jam 9.53 pagi.
Penerbangan dibatalkan, penumpang lambat dimaklumkan
Penumpang yang ditemui krew Astro AWANI di Lapangan Terbang Tawau memaklumkan lewat diberitahu mengenai pembatalan penerbangan masuk dan keluar akibat letusan Gunung Berapi Ruang.
AirAsia batal 21 penerbangan susulan letusan Gunung Ruang
Syarikat penerbangan tambang murah, AirAsia membatalkan sebanyak 21 penerbangan antara Sarawak dengan Kuala Lumpur, Sabah dan Johor serta penerbangan antarabangsa ke Singapura, susulan letusan semula Gunung Ruang Indonesia
Pekerja kilang buat jersi Piala Dunia 2022 dibayar RM4.70 sejam?
Demam Piala Dunia 2022 kini bermula. Rata-rata peminat bola sepak dari seluruh dunia mengambil peluang untuk terbang ke Qatar untuk menyaksikan upacara perasmian yang berlangsung di Stadium Al Bayt.
Demam Piala Dunia 2022 sudah mula, ribuan peminat berarak di Doha
Sembilan hari sebelum bermula kejohanan bola sepak dunia, ribuan ekspatriat terutama peminat dari India memakai jersi berwarna Argentina, Brazil dan England mula berhimpun sempena Piala Dunia di Doha.
Piala Dunia 2022: Qatar cari 'penonton' untuk bersorak
Penganjur Piala Dunia 2022 dilaporkan mengupah penonton bersorak untuk peserta dan tuan rumah iaitu Qatar.
Rusuhan bola sepak: Netizen desak FIFA ambil tindakan terhadap Indonesia
Penyokong tuan rumah turut membaling batu, besi, botol dan suar setelah tidak dapat menerima kekalahan Garuda di tangan Harimau Malaya di tempat sendiri.
Skandal FIFA: Ketua bola sepak Australia berkata bidaan Piala Dunia 2022 'tidak bersih'
Pengerusi Persekutuan Bola Sepak Australia, Frank Lowy dalam surat terbukanya menyatakan bahawa saingan untuk bidaan Piala Dunia 2022 adalah tidak bersih.