In the end Morocco has to console itself with the wooden medal.

The "final" for the third and fourth place is won by the Croatians 2-1, the African team fails to close its splendid World Cup with a victory .

Game immediately very heated with repartee on set football in the first minutes of the game.

The Croatians took the lead with a beautiful free-kick pattern: cross in the area by Perisic, who serves Gvardiol perfectly in the spin, a diving header that Bounou can't stop .

Two minutes go by and Morocco equalises: Zyech's free kick, a deflection by the Croatian defense favors Dari who heads in the net .

The rhythms are high and the opportunities flock, on both sides: the most sensational is En-Nesyri , a positioning error that does not allow him to reap the benefits of an amazing action on Hakimi's right.

After nearly capitulating, Croatia took the lead in the 42nd minute thanks to a splendid shot from Orsic .

In the second half the Croatians immediately close to the set again with Orsic, then Morocco shows up again and raises the pressure and tries to close the opponents in their own half. The biggest opportunity still arrives at En-Nesyri's foot, but Livakovic blocks the door for him with a perfect exit and locks away the 2-1 and with it the third place of a Croatia led again today by a splendid Luka Modric . Three minutes from the end it was Kovacic who only missed the trio in front of the goalkeeper, but the last gasp came in the 96th minute, when En-Nesyri's header went just over the top.

It is the second consecutive world podium for the Croatians, who only surrendered to France in the final 4 years ago.

(Unioneonline/L)

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