The second round of the World Cup group stage continues, with Group F facing a highlight match, Croatia vs Canada. Just one minute into the game, Alfonso Davies scored lightning, but Kramaric and Livaya scored two goals in a row to overtake the score. Kramaric added another goal in the second half and Mayer added stoppage time as Croatia came back 4-1. As a result, Canada went out early with two consecutive defeats, while Croatia rose to the top of the table and still had to fight Belgium for the next round.
Croatia, runners-up in the last World Cup, are currently 12th in FIFA, having drawn 0-0 with Morocco in the first round. Canada returned to the World Cup after 36 years, losing 1-0 to Belgium in the first round. Ahead of this game, Canadian coach Herdman released a bold statement to blow Croatia.
Just one minute into the game, Canada quickly got into shape when Buchanan crossed from the right and Alfonso Davies scored with a header to make a dream start. The 22-year-old Alfonso Davis made history when he scored his first World Cup goal for Canada and the team celebrated wildly.
However, Croatia are still sitting on top stars such as Modric, Kovacic and Brozovic, who are used to big scenes and did not panic because they conceded goals early, and Croatia gradually recovered the disadvantage.
In the 25th minute, Livaya split the ball in front, Kramaric changed the angle continuously, and shot low from the far corner with his right foot, but the offside was disallowed first.
In the 36th minute, Perisic crossed straight from the left, Kramaric countered the offside, low shot from a small angle into the far corner, Croatia equalized, 1-1!
In the 43rd minute, Žulanovic took the ball and rushed to instigate a counter-attack, and with a light pass from the edge of the box, Livaya followed up with a right-footed strafing into the dead corner. In just 7 minutes, Croatia scored 2 goals in a row to win 2-1.
In the 54th minute, Modric received a direct pass from the right and Kramaric swept away with his right foot from close range, which was actually saved from the bottom line. One minute later, Osorio knocked back, Buchanan followed up to split the ball, Jonathan David shot straight into the corner and Livakovic responded with a world-class save.
In the 69th minute, Perisic scored twice and Kramaric completed the double, and Croatia sealed a 3-1 victory. In the 94th minute, Mayer caught the opponent's mistake and scored with a single knife, and the score was 4-1!
The rest of the day was inconclusive, with Croatia making it 4-1. After this match, the situation in Group E became very interesting, with Croatia and Morocco both with four points, the former climbing to the top on goal difference, Belgium sliding from the top to third in the table, and Canada bottom-out with two consecutive defeats and one round early.
Group E places were created among three teams, with Morocco playing in the final round against Canada, who were already out, and they were in the best situation. Croatia still have to fight Belgium to the death, as long as they are undefeated.