Nikola Vlasic’s header seven minutes from time gave Croatia their second consecutive victory at the World Cup 2026 as the 2018 semi-finalists beat Ghana to finish second to England in Group L.
Petar Sucic ended Ghana’s perfect defensive record at the tournament to put Zlatko Dalic’s team in front from distance in the 31st minute.
A beautiful strike from Croatia's Petar Sučić 🚀 pic.twitter.com/GGiTFab8Ix
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 27, 2026
Derrick Luckassen, who is the brother of an in-form World Cup star in Netherlands forward Brian Brobbey, volleyed a 73rd-minute equaliser from Ernest Nuamah’s free-kick to put Ghana on course for second spot before Vlasic’s decisive intervention from Luka Modric’s delivery.
A four-minute VAR check is needed but it confirms Derrick Luckassen, volleys Ghana level against Croatia pic.twitter.com/yONQxVp6e0
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 27, 2026
Table of Contents
Croatia vs Ghana: How Vlasic gave keeper ‘no chance’
Croatia will meet Portugal or Colombia on July 2, while Ghana are also likely to advance in third place after a result that confirmed Scotland were eliminated from the finals.
Former Tartan Army striker Ally McCoist called Vlasic’s header “wonderful” and “beautiful”. “The goalkeeper’s got no chance,” McCoist told ITV.
“Vlasic just redirects it. It’s probably unsavable.”
World Cup 2026: Croatia beat Ghana
Vlasic, who joined Sucic and Ante Budimir as the newcomers in Croatia’s side, had earlier struck a post from distance.
England were drawing 0-0 with eliminated Panama at the time, putting them on course to finish on five points – one ahead of Ghana and one behind Croatia.
Jude Bellingham’s strike and Harry Kane’s header during the second half then ensured that the 1966 champions, who beat Croatia 4-2 on matchday one, finished top of the group.
World Cup 2026: Croatia team vs Ghana
Mancheter City’s Josko Gvardiol, who recently returned from a broken leg, moved to the Croatia bench alongside Marco Pasalic and Petar Musa.
Croatia starting XI: Dominik Livakovic, Josip Stanisic, Marin Pongracic, Josip Sutalo, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Nikola Vlasic, Martin Baturina, Petar Sucic, Ante Budimir, Ivan Perisic
Croatia substitutes: Ivor Pandur, Dominik Kotarski, Josko Gvardiol, Duje Caleta-Car, Kristijan Jakic, Luka Vuskovic, Martin Erlic, Nikola Moro, Mario Pasalic, Toni Fruk, Luka Sucic, Andrej Kramaric, Igor Matanovic, Marco Pasalic, Petar Musa
World Cup 2026: Ghana team vs Croatia
Ghana also made three alterations: Luckassen, Elisha Owusu and Kamaldeen Sulemana replaced Jerome Opoku, Inaki Williams and Caleb Yirenkyi.
Ghana starting XI: Benjamin Asare, Jonas Adjetey, Gideon Mensah, Derrick Luckassen, Marvin Senaya, Thomas Partey, Kwasi Sibo, Antoine Semenyo, Elisha Owusu, Jordan Ayew, Kamaldeen Sulemana
Ghana substitutes: Lawrence Ati Zigi, Joseph Anang, Alidu Seidu, Abdul Mumin, Baba Rahman, Jerome Opoku, Kojo Peprah Oppong, Caleb Yirenkyi, Augustine Boakye, Abdul Fatawu, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Inaki Williams, Ernest Nuamah, Prince Adu
World Cup 2026: Croatia vs Ghana stats
- Luka Modric made his 200th appearance for Croatia by starting against Panama. On matchday one against England, however, the midfielder played the fewest minutes (58) of any of his 34 starts across the World Cup and EURO
- Croatia and France are the only teams to have reached the semi-finals at each of the last two World Cup tournaments
- In Croatia’s previous six World Cup participations, they were either eliminated in the group stage (3) or reached the semi-finals (3), including a run to the final in 2018
- Zlatko Dalic is the first head coach to lead Croatia at five major international tournaments: World Cup 2018, EURO 2020, World Cup 2022, EURO 2024, World Cup 2026
- Among current coaches, only Didier Deschamps with France (21) has taken charge of more World Cup games than Dalic’s 16 with Croatia
- Ghana could win two group stage matches at the World Cup for the second time in their history, previously beating Czechia and the USA in 2006
- They have failed to win any of their last five matches against European opposition in the competition (D2 L3)
- Before their successive clean sheets to start these finals, Ghana had conceded in each of their preceding 10 World Cup matches since a shutout against Serbia during the 2010 group stage (1-0)
- Jordan Ayew was involved in 14 goals during qualifying (7 goals, 7 assists), which is the joint-most in a CAF campaign alongside Algeria’s Mohammed Amoura (10 goals, 4 assists)
- Since their World Cup debut in 2006, Ghana have featured in five of the six editions – more than any other African nation during that period
You Should Also Read
