Morocco vs Croatia - World Cup:Team news,Talking points,Recent form, H2H & Predicted lineups. |Footbolic

 

Morocco will face Croatia at Al Bayt Stadium at 10:00 UTC in the First match of Group F in the world cup.

This is the first encounter between Morocco and Croatia at a World Cup.Both the teams are unbeaten in the last five matches.

Croatia, the 2018 world cup runner-ups want to start with winning against Morocco.Today's match is crucial if Modric 's Croatia are to progress through the group stage.

On the other hand, Morocco has gained strength with the return of Hakim Ziyech.In any case, we can expect a great match between the two teams.

TEAM NEWS

Morocco

We’re finally getting closer to the show!
Morocco 🇲🇦 🆚 🇭🇷 Croatia
🏟 Al Bayt Stadium, Doha
🕗 11AM (Gmt+1)#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/469guNNHjd

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) November 22, 2022

 Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi will feature at right-back with Noussair Mazraoui on the opposite side. 

Captain Romain Saiss and Nayef Aguerd are likely to be the two centre-backs, while Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri will support Sofiane Boufal in attack.

Croatia

#Croatia openers at the previous World Cups 👇

✅ 1998 🆚 Jamaica (3:1)
❌ 2002 🆚 Mexico (0:1)
❌ 2006 🆚 Brazil (0:1)
❌ 2014 🆚 Brazil (1:3)
✅ 2018 🆚 Nigeria (2:0)

❓ 2022 🆚 Morocco #FIFAWorldCup #Qatar2022 #Vatreni pic.twitter.com/Juqh0m6D1X

— HNS (@HNS_CFF) November 22, 2022

 With veteran Luka Modric and Chelsea Mateo Kovacic in midfield, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic's difficult decision will be choosing between Bruno Petkovic and Andrej Kramaric to join Ivan Perisic in attack.

Josip Stanisic is likely to start at right-back, while Dejan Lovren and Josko Gvardiol will feature in the heart of the defence, much like in the 3-1 win against Austria in September.

TALKING POINTS

- This is the first encounter between Morocco and Croatia at the FIFA World Cup. Their only previous meeting was in the Hassan II Trophy in December 1996, played in Casablanca. The game ended 2-2, producing three red cards. Croatia won 7-6 on penalties.

- Croatia have won their two FIFA World Cup games against African opposition by an aggregate of 6-0 (4-0 v Cameroon in 2014, 2-0 v Nigeria in 2018).

- This will be Morocco's sixth appearance at the FIFA World Cup, but they have not progressed past the group stage since 1986, when they were eventually eliminated by Germany in the round of 16 (0-1).

- Morocco have won only one of their last 10 FIFA World Cup games (D2 L7), 3-0 against Scotland in 1998 in the group stages.

- 13 of Morocco’s 14 goals at the FIFA World Cup have been scored from open play. The only exception was Youssef En-Nesyri’s goal against Spain in 2018, which came from a corner.

H2H 

Morocco: 0 wins

Croatia: 1 win

Draw: 0

RECENT FORM

Morocco: WDWWW

Croatia: WWWWW

PREDICTED LINEUPS

Morocco: Bounou; Hakimi, Aguerd, Saiss, Mazraoui; Ounahi, Amrabat, Amallah; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal (4-3-3)

Croatia: Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa; Kovacic, Brozovic, Modric; Vlasic, Kramaric, Perisic (4-3-3)

Predicted score: Morocco 0-2 Croatia.