World Cup: Croatia beat Morocco to seal third-place finish

1. Use play icon at top of the page to play watch live coverage from the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan
2. FT: Croatia 2-1 Morocco - Gvardiol header opens scoring and Orsic restores lead after Dari levels
3. Get Involved: #bbcfootball, text 81111 (UK only – texts will be charged at your standard message rate), or text your comments via WhatsApp on 03301231826

Modric's last World Cup performance?

Opta

Five minutes left of possibly Luka Modric's last ever World Cup match.

He's had one shot on target in this match, 73 touches, 60 passes and a 93% passing accuracy. He's won the ball back five times and made two interceptions.

A pretty standard but very solid performance from the midfield maestro. Can he add a goal?

YELLOW CARD

Things are getting feisty as Morocco players, led by Selim Amallah protest after Croatia are awarded a free kick.

It is all a bit scrappy as Croatia close on the win and with it third place.

Get Involved

Colin: Seriously! What is the point of referees and VAR if that's not given!? Ridiculous decision!

UtdSpace: Horrendous decision. Why VAR didn’t intervene is beyond me. The referee had a great view too. Absolutely rubbish.

Getty Images

Bruno Petkovic's cross hits Badr Benoun and deflects behind for a Croatia corner - their sixth of the game.

Mislav Orsic drives the ball into the box but Morocco head away.

Ten minutes to go and Morocco fans are bouncing, willing their side on to find an equaliser.

Get Involved

Rich: Never in a million years is that a penalty. The slightest touch on his back/arm and he's gone down like he's been shot. Behave. What were the commentators watching?!

Ian: Both Danny Murphy and co-commentator got it completely wrong there. No way was that a penalty. Potential Oscar for the massive dive! Should've been a yellow card for the Croatian player.

Anon: Gvardiol only has himself to blame for the pathetic action of throwing himself to the ground after the slightest touch.

'A penalty, 100%'

Danny Murphy

Former England midfielder on BBC One

It was a foul, it was enough of a foul. It was a penalty 100%. It was a clear and obvious mistake and you can see why Gvardiol was so frustrated.

Thankfully there haven't been too many in this World Cup when we thought they have got that wrong. That one was obvious. I don't know what they think they've seen to not give it.

Seeing several replays of the Croatia penalty appeal and I don't see how VAR has not awarded it. Seems clear Josko Gvardiol was clipped as he looked to get away inside the box.

Croatia will be fuming if Morocco get back level in these next 13 minutes or so.

CLOSE!

Play continues as Morocco turn defence into attack and a ball into the box finds Youssef En-Nesyri unmarked but he is denied from point-blank range. Great save!

'What a goal that would have been!'

Danny Murphy

Former England midfielder on BBC One

He didn't need to go over. What a goal that would've been for the defender.

PENALTY APPEAL

Josko Gvardiol goes down inside the box under a challenge by Sofyan Amrabat as the Croatia man looked to latch onto a ball. Croatia players and bench screams for a penalty but nothing is given!

Croatia enjoying more of the ball

Opta

Morocco are giving it everything but Croatia have had more of the ball in the second half - they are now up to almost 60% - and Morocco have players dropping out like flies through injury.

Six substitutions in six minutes from both sides have killed the rhythm slightly too.

Morocco pressing higher is leaving some gaps at the back though and Bruno Petkovic looks to take advantage but launches a shot from distance well over.

Just under 20 minutes remaining.

Morocco are pushing higher up the pitch now as they look to force an equaliser and take this game to extra time.

'Modric never looks tired'

Danny Murphy

Former England midfielder on BBC One

The amazing thing about Modric is he never looks tired, he always knows where his team-mates are around him. Fatigue never makes his displays worse.

Getty Images

Watch: Orsic's great chance

SUBSTITUTION

Croatia also make a couple of changes as Bruno Petkovic and Mario Pasalic come on for Marko Livaja and Lovro Majer.

There's also an enforced change for Morocco as Jawad El Yamiq is injured, so he is replaced by Selim Amallah.

With Burnley's Anass Zaroury coming on for Morocco, there is now only one player in the 26-man squad who has not clocked up any minutes yet in Qatar.

Will third-choice goalkeeper Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti get his moment? He has around 25 minutes to do so.

SUBSTITUTION

Achraf Dari and Abdelhamid Sabiri are replaced by Badr Benoun and Burnley winger Anass Zaroury, who makes his first appearance at the World Cup.

This isn't quite matching the tempo of the first half but both sides are still getting forward as often as they can.

Substitutions have also disrupted things and Morocco are preparing a couple more.