Croatia and Morocco face off this Saturday for third place in the Qatar World Cup not to return from the country asian no awardfollowing reaching some meritorious semifinals as two of the sensations of the world Cupwith the ‘Lions of the Atlas’ making history in African football and the combined ‘checkered’ once more as the protagonist of a great tournament for his combative character.
Both teams were able to access a final that in addition to unprecedented would have been historicbetween two teams that did not start as favorites to go that far. The Croats brushed repeat milestonefollowing four years ago playing with France World Cup in Russiawith a generation that has once once more amazed Qatar.
Much more mature, the players trained by Zlatko Dalic have once once more given a lesson in resistance and resilience, with an astonishing ability to not lose face in matches, no matter how superior, a priori, the rival was. In the round of 16, the Europeans faced an “affordable” duel once morest Japan (1-1), however, the pass was complicated and they needed the uncertainty of penalties to seal their ticket to the quarterfinals, where the hard Brazilian bone waited.
the great favorite ‘yellow green’ collided with a combative Croatian squad that resisted the onslaught of the offensive talent from Rio de Janeiro. that character Balkan extended the expected brazilian success until extra time, when Neymar dressed as a momentary hero to put the 0-1.
However, the ‘Canarinha’ did not have the insistence of Croatian ‘hammer’which took advantage of a mismatch in the ‘Tite’ to tie and force the second consecutive round. The pressure weighed too much on the Brazilian ‘samba’ and Croatia made it into the top four teams in the tournament.
Very physically weighed down by previous efforts, the Croats received a harsh correction in the semifinals once morest Argentina (3-0) with an intractable Leo Messi. Luka modric the main architect of the European feat and leader with 37 yearssaid goodbye to the World Cup adventure with his teammates with his head held high and the opportunity to sign a successful third place in Qatar, following his runner-up finish in 2018.
Morocco, “hungry”, wants to “take home a medal”
In front will be a combined Moroccan that he will not sell his skin cheap, with much more to gain, since putting the A third-place finish to their extraordinary tournament would be historic for African football. After advancing to the playoffs as first in the group, ahead of their own Croatia, Belgium and Canada, he was hung with a favorite sign that has not weighed on him in his adventure in Qatar, even leaving behind teams like Spain and Portugal.
before those of Luis EnriqueMorocco neutralized the Spanish model, more Combinative than dangerous, forcing penalties and showing that they were serious. They reached the quarterfinals with only one goal once morest and continued to develop their particular work, and on that occasion with the Portuguese as victims they beat them (1-0) with grit, always faithful to his model.
In the semifinals once morest France, Morocco reinforced its tough and solid system, also forced by casualties, with five central defenders, but this weakened the core and they completed their game more ‘poor’ In that aspect. The roosters’ prevailed (2-0) and woke up the sleep ‘Lions of the Atlas’that now they will be able to put the ‘bronze clasp’ and are prose.
The Moroccan coach, Walid Reraguiadmitted in the previous one that the party for the third place is the “worst” that can be playedalthough he acknowledged that his players continue to have “hunger” for taking “a medal”.
The technician would have the virtually assured loss of his captain, Romain Saïsswhile Noussair Mazraoui It will be a doubt on the left side. In a match in which both teams might include changes, Croatia only has the unknown of the pivot Marcelo Brozovic.
possible alignments
Croatia: Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Barisic; Kovacic, Jakic, Modric; Perisic, Petkovic y Orsic.
Morocco: Bono; Hakimi, El Yamiq, Benoun, Attiat-Allah; Amrabat, Amallah, Ounahi; Boufal, En-Nesyri and Abde.
