Morocco 0-0 Croatia – FIFA paying the price for a winter World Cup with another goalless draw
The opening game of Group F kicked off in disappointing fashion as Morocco and Croatia played out a 0-0 draw.
Morocco will be the happier of the two sides who limited Croatia to few clear-cut chances, especially in the second half.
Croatia will feel frustrated with their overall play. Morocco was happy to let them control possession in the middle third of the pitch. This limited Croatia’s ability to break between the lines and left Andrej Kramaric isolated up top.
The Croatian full-backs were also unwilling to get forward often. This resulted in little success on the Croatian wings as Ivan Perisic and Nikola Vlasic did not have the pace to get past the excellent duo of Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui.
Despite all this, neither side was really willing to get the victory and seemed content not to lose.
Croatia controlled the majority of possession in the first 10 minutes, however failing to create a clear-cut chance.
The first chance was created by Croatia in the 16th minute. Selim Amallah plays a poor pass disposed of by Perisic who fires a long shot just over the bar.
Just at the end of the half, Croatia created a great opportunity. Perisic picks up the ball on the left half-space and finds Sosa on the overlap. He then whips in a low cross in the direction of Vlasic who pokes it goalward. But Bono stands firm to deny him.
In the last minute of the half, Vlasic had a shot blocked. The ball then falls perfectly to Modric but he blazes it over the bar.
Half-time ended goalless. Croatia had created more clear-cut opportunities and will be the happier of the two sides.
Morocco created the first opportunity of the game. Sofiane Boufal saw his long shot blocked but fell straight to Mazraoui who headed the ball straight at Dominik Liakovic who palmed it wide.
Morocco then created a well-worked free-kick in the 64th minute. Zyiech flicks the ball inside to Hakimi who fires a shot firmly at goal but is well saved by Liakovic.
Croatia nearly found the opening goal as Modric whips in a free-kick in the 71st minute. Youseff En Nesyri just gets enough on it to clear over the bar.
In the 80th minute, Croatia go close again. This comes from another free-kick from Modric who finds Gvardiol at the back post. But, he can’t convert his header goalwards.
That brought an end to the game with neither side able to break the deadlock.
This is now the third 0-0 draw at the World Cup and begs the question, have teams at the World Cup had enough preparation leading into the tournament?
