Croatia vs Morocco Prediction – 2022 World Cup: Who Will Win?

Croatia vs Morocco Preview

The channel on which this game will be shown live has not yet been announced, although it will either be BBC 1 or ITV 1. You can find the channel it will be broadcast on by just checking the TV schedule on Friday at some point. Watch the game at least 30 minutes before to the planned kickoff time to take in the buildup and atmosphere. Now, let's examine how Morocco and Croatia ended up in the third/fourth play-off of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Croatia

• Round of 16: Croatia 1 Japan 1 - Croatia won 3-1 on penalties
• Quarter-Finals: Croatia 0 Brazil 0 - Croatia won 4-2 on penalties
• Semi-Finals: Argentina 3 Croatia 0

Morocco

• Round of 16: Morocco 0 Spain 0 after extra-time with Morocco winning 3-0 on penalties
• Quarter-Finals: Morocco 1 Portugal 0
• Semi-Finals: France 2 Morocco 0

🏠 Croatia Form and Team News

If you intend to engage in a little football betting, you should develop the habit of taking the time to consider how both sides have advanced to a particular point in a major football tournament. Ultimately, ignoring a player's present form while you are betting on sports is a surefire way to lose your hard-earned money.

For both of these teams, the 2022 Qatar World Cup has come full circle as they faced off against one another right at the opening of the event. Despite the fact that the game ended in a 0-0 stalemate, it was still a really thrilling contest. Croatia knew that a victory in their second match of the competition against Canada would give them a solid chance to advance to the Round of 16, but they got off to the worst possible start when Alphonso Davis scored with just a few minutes remaining. The Croatians were alerted by this early crush, and they went on to defeat Canada 4-1 with one game left in the series. Croatia understood that a draw against Belgium in their last group match would be more than enough for them to advance. They managed to hold Belgium to a 0-0 tie with some valiant last-ditch defending, securing a matchup with Japan in the Round of 16, and eliminating Belgium, the group favourites.

Croatia was a little favourite to defeat Japan in the knockout round, but they were fully aware of how difficult the game would be given that Japan had defeated both Germany and Spain to advance to the round of 16. It was not a huge surprise when the game ended 1-1 in regular time because seven of Croatia's previous eight knockout games in international competitions had to be decided in extra time or on penalties. The game went to penalties because there wasn't much goalmouth action during the extra 30 minutes, and Japan proceeded to take some of the worst penalties you will ever see. With a confident performance in penalty kicks, Croatia prevailed 3-1 and secured a spot in the round of eight.

Croatia had the difficult task of facing the Brazilians in the Quarterfinals, and few football betting gamblers would have risked their hard-earned money on Croatia defeating the favourites. However, Croatia's midfield, which is their strong suit, absolutely controlled to prevent Brazil from ever taking the lead thanks to the three of L. Modri, M. Brozovi, and M. Kovai. Croatia were weak offensively while dominating the midfield, and it quickly appeared that they would need an additional 30 minutes to determine the game. Although the score remained 0-0 at the end of regulation time, Neymar was able to break the tie with a goal of note after 106 minutes. Petkovic, though, equalised with a few minutes remaining, forcing penalties to settle the match. Dominik Livakovic put up a magnificent effort and assisted his team in a 4-2 penalty shootout victory.

Croatia was the underdog going into the semifinal matchup with Argentina, but the Argentinians were not going to take them lightly. Croatia played effectively in the opening minutes of the game and controlled the majority of the possession, but they were unable to beat Emi Martinez in the Argentina net. Argentina launched a counterattack in the 34th minute, and Livakovic took down Alvarez to concede a penalty that Lionel Messi successfully converted. After a lucky bounce, Alvarez made a stunning run five minutes later and shoved the ball across the goal line to give his team a two-goal advantage. Croatia attempted to retake the lead, but Messi turned back the clock and set up Alvarez for his second goal of the game to end the game in the 69th minute.

Zlatko Dali does not have to worry about any suspensions because no one was sent off in Croatia's semi-final, but they do have a significant injury problem. There is a good likelihood that Brozovic won't be ready to play on Saturday after being forced off the field against Argentina due to a thigh injury. Dali will have a complete squad to choose from aside from that.

Croatia Starting Lineup

Croatia used a 4-3-3 system once more in their loss to Argentina, therefore we anticipate that they will do the same against Morocco in this third-and-fourth play-off match. This will be the only adjustment Dali will make to his starting XI because we do not believe Brozovic will be able to play. The starting lineup that we believe will face Morocco is shown below:

• D. Livaković
• J. Juranović
• D. Lovren
• J. Gvardiol
• B. Sosa
• L. Modrić
• N. Vlašić
• M. Kovačić
• A. Kramarić
• B. Petković
• I. Perišić

⭐ Croatia Players to Watch

Despite having a population of under 4 million, Croatia has consistently produced footballers of the highest calibre. Below are three Croatian players you should keep a watch on as they take against Morocco on December 17.

• Luka Modrić: When discussing the finest players in the world, Messi and Ronaldo are frequently mentioned, but we believe that Modrić does not receive the credit he merits. One of the best midfielders ever, he will force Morocco to keep a tight check on him lest he drags them out of position and disperses his team with his excellent passing abilities. Given that this may be his final World Cup, he will want to leave it with a third-place medal to add to the one he won for finishing second four years go.
• Dominic Livaković: There is a good probability that this game will go the distance, and Livaković has already shown that he can be trusted to save penalties by being the hero of both of Croatia's World Cup-winning penalty shootouts. He did, however, demonstrate against Brazil that he excels in one-on-one matches. It would be interesting to see if Morocco can deliver another outstanding performance because of how dangerous he can be in attack.
• Joško Gvardiol: The 20-year-old will probably have nightmares about Messi having been made a fool of for Argentina's third goal in the semi-final, but he should not be too hard on himself as he has been one of the best defenders at this World Cup. He will definitely soon be playing for the likes of PSG, Man City, or Real Madrid, and we are looking forward to seeing him in action one last time at this World Cup.

☍ Morocco Form and Team News

You would have earned a substantial income if you had bet on Morocco to win their group and advance to the World Cup semifinals. They drew 0-0 with Croatia in their opening match of the campaign, as was already established. Belgium, the group favourites, was the opponent in their second match of the tournament. The North Africans put on a strong performance to defeat Belgium 2-0 and push them close to elimination. A draw versus Canada in their final Group Stage match was sufficient to guarantee their qualification. However, the team came out on top 2-1 to take first place in the group.

Morocco faced Spain in the Round of 16 as compensation for winning their group, therefore they were undoubtedly the underdogs. However, they like being the underdogs, as they demonstrated in the group stage, and another strong defensive performance forced a penalty shootout. Spain made more than 1000 passes, but they only managed one shot on goal, which gives you an indication of how brilliantly they guarded. A 3-0 victory and a spot in the round of eight were achieved by Bono's squad thanks to his heroics during the penalty shootout.

Many would have predicted that Morocco's trip would finish at this point because their Quarterfinal opponent was Portugal, who had defeated the Swiss 6-1 to advance. However, Morocco had other plans and used their renowned defensive prowess to hold back a promising Portugal team. A few minutes before halftime, Y. En-Nesyri scored, and with this accomplishment, Morocco became the first African side to go to a World Cup semi-final.

Due to the calibre of the French team and the fact that Morocco, that lacks a lot of depth in their squad, had numerous injury concerns, France was the team that stood between Morocco and a place in the final. This was always going to be their most difficult assignment to date. Prior to kickoff, they had to alter their defensive line, and after 20 minutes of play, Saiss, their captain, had to leave the field. Morocco gave up the goal before the fifth minute but did not let this deter them. They gave France several problems but were unable to score. When Randal Kolo Muani scored from close range with just over 10 minutes left, their World Cup dream was all but over. Morocco was defeated but not vanquished.

There were no sending offs in this encounter, thus Morocco manager, Walid Regragui, does not have any worries on that front either. He does, however, have a problem with injuries, with players like Saiss and Aguerd probably not being able to participate. But at least Cheddira is back after serving a suspension for receiving two yellow cards in the Quarter-Final.

Morocco Starting Lineup

Morocco started the game against France in a 5-4-1 formation to counter France's attacking talent. Because Croatia lacks strength up front, we anticipate them to play the same 4-3-3 configuration they have during the rest of this campaign. This is how we expect them to line up against Croatia because Regragui will be obliged to make two changes as a result of the two aforementioned injuries:

• Bono
• A. Hakimi
• J. Yamiq
• A. Dari
• N. Mazraoui
• A. Ounahi
• S. Amrabat
• A. Sabiri
• H. Ziyech
• Y. En-Nesyri
• S. Boufal

⭐ Morocco Players to Watch

Before this World Cup, not many people would have been familiar with Moroccan players, but this has changed as a result of their outstanding performances. When Morocco plays Croatia on Saturday afternoon, we've listed three Moroccan players you should pay particular attention to.

• Hakim Ziyech: Despite having difficulties with his club this year, the Chelsea midfielder has excelled for his nation at this World Cup. He possesses the technical skill and speed to pose problems for any defender on the field when he plays to the best of his ability. We anticipate seeing him in action one last time if Croatia gives him any room to move. He might cause a whole variety of problems.
• Bono: This World Cup has seen the Sevilla goalkeeper excel, and there is a fair likelihood that he will need to demonstrate his penalty-saving prowess in this game. He may not have much to do for the first 90 minutes because Croatia does not generate many chances, so he must maintain his focus for the rare occasion when they do get a shot off. Can he accomplish it? We'll just have to wait and see.
• Sofiane Boufal: Our team believes that Boufal has been one of Morocco's greatest players at this World Cup, and every time he touches the ball, you can just tell that he can change the game. Croatia would encounter several difficulties if they allowed him to run at them. He currently plays for Angers in Ligue 1, but given his performance at this World Cup, we wouldn't be surprised if he eventually transferred to a better team.

💯Croatia vs Morocco Betting Odds

It goes without saying that you should use incredibly competitive World Cup 2022 betting odds if you plan to make any football predictions for this game. For World Cup bets, the most popular football betting markets are Match Winner, Both Teams to Score, and Over/Under. The odds we have provided for these two popular marketplaces are listed below.

⚡ Match Winner

Outcome
Croatia to Win	2.38	2.30	2.40	2.35
Morocco to Win	2.90	3.00	3.00	3.00
Draw	3.40	3.35	3.40	2.15

🔥 Both Teams to Score

Both to Score
Yes	1.67	1.67	1.67	1.67
No	2.10	2.00	2.10	2.10

🥅 Over/Under 2.5 Goals

Over/Under
Over 2.5 Goals	1.91	1.85	1.83	1.85
Under 2.5 Goals	1.88	1.83	1.83	1.87

🥇 Who Will Win? Croatia vs Morocco Prediction

Who would we bet on if we were to engage in some online sports betting on this third or fourth play-off game between Croatia and Morocco? In all honesty, this is a very difficult match to predict, and there is a good potential that they will cancel each other out, just like they did during the group stages. In light of this, we recommend placing a wager on a tie in this match, with Croatia winning in overtime.

Our match prediction: Draw after 90 mins (Croatia to win in Extra-Time)

🔍 Our Croatia vs Morocco Betting Tips?

What more World Cup predictions do we have for this game? We think that betting on under 2.5 goals in 90 minutes is a solid option if you don't want to bet on a draw because of the risk involved. Even if there is a winner in regular time, it will only be by one goal because neither of these sides scores many goals.

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Croatia vs Morocco FAQ