Croatia and Morocco will face each other again as they fight it out for the third place in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar on Saturday.

Also read: Lionel Messi vs Karim Benzema in FIFA World Cup 2022 final? Didier Deschamps smiles at reporter’s question

The two sides entered the semi-final as the only ones to not have lost a match in their five previous encounters (that included one between the two) at the World Cup. However, both succumbed in the face of superior attacks.

Also read: Who is Hugo Lloris?

While Messi and Alvarez pummeled the Croat attack for an identical 3-0 revenge (Croatia beat Argentina 3-0 in the group stages of 2018 WC), the hungry French coasted to their first victory in the World Cup where they didn’t let their opponents score. 

Croatia vs Morocco head-to-head:

  •  The two teams have only faced each other twice, where Croatia won one and the other game was drawn
  • The first encounter between the two teams was in 1996 in the Hassan 2 Trophy where Croatia won 2-2 (7-6) in the penalties
  • The second encounter was in the group stages of the ongoing World Cup where they witnessed a goalless draw

Statistics:

  • As per FIFA’s October 6, 2022 list, Croatia are ranked 12th in the world while Morocco are placed 22nd on the list
  • Both the teams have scored 2 goals against each other, all the four coming from the 1996 encounter
  • Two teams from the same group are meeting in the World Cup again for only the fifth time in history
  • Germany vs Hungary (1954 finals), Brazil vs Czechkoslavia (1962 finals), Brazil vs Turkey (2002) and Belgium vs England (2018) are the previous instances when the same group teams met later
  • Two teams from the same group are facing off in the third-place play-off for the second time in World Cup history after Belgium and England played in 2018

Also read: 14-year-old dead in Montpellier, policemen hit by fireworks in Paris as France celebrates victory over Morocco

Predicted lineup:

Croatia’s predicted line up: Dominik Livakovic, Borna Sosa, Ivan Perisic, Dejan Lovren, Mateo Kovacic, Andrej Kramaric, Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Josko Gvardiol, Josip Juranovic

Morocco’s predicted line up: Yassine Bounou (GK), Achraf Hakimi, Jawad El Yamiq, Achraf Dari, Noussair Mazraoui;Azzedine Ounahi, Sofyan Amrabat, Selim Amallah ; Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofiane Boufal

Also read: Olivier Giroud hugs Walid Regragui after Morocco lose to France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-final: Watch

Formations: 

Croatia’s predicted formations: 4-3-3

Morocco’s predicted formations: 4-3-3