WC Qualifiers: Croatia seal World Cup spot thanks to own-goal from Russia

Last edition’s finalists Croatia needed a late own-goal to reach the 2022 FIFA World Cup in a 1-0 win over Russia on Sunday. Although Croatia bombarded the Russian goal throughout the game, they had little success in search of the win the 2018 runners-up needed to secure the automatic qualifying spot in Group H and consign Russia to the playoffs.

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Croatia began out intending to play a fluid passing game centred on Modric, their talismanic midfielder, under heavy rain in front of a raucous home crowd. The increasingly soggy surface rendered it impossible by halftime, and the game devolved into a series of crosses, speculative long shots, and frantic sliding tackles.

Although Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov was sharp when called upon to block away from a curving attempt from Marcelo Brozovic in the first half, Croatia’s finishing was uneven, with strikes routinely off target.

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With a tie, Russia would have qualified, and their only goal was to make it through the 90 minutes. The Russians didn’t have a single shot until the 74th minute, and Croatian goalkeeper Ivo Grbic didn’t have to make a single save. Even after Kudriashov’s own goal turned the game around, Russia’s best chance came from defender Vyacheslav Karavaev’s long-range shot that went over the bar.

The loss was Valery Karpin’s first in his first seven games in command of Russia. He told Russian media that he accepted responsibility for the loss, but that he intends to remain on for the March playoffs, when Russia is expected to be one of the six seeded teams. The playoffs will throw 12 teams into four-team brackets, with three World Cup spots up for grabs.

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“It was a difficult match from the beginning because of the rain. We never gave up, we were patient and I think we won deservedly. We are the best team in this group,” Luka Modric said, according to Associated Press inputs.

With inputs from the Associated Press inputs