Croatia vs Ghana: Result, Stats & Predictions (World Cup 2026)
Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 in Philadelphia as Vlasic's 83rd-minute header — from a Modric corner — earned the Vatreni second spot in Group L.
27 June 2026
Result
Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 at Philadelphia Stadium to secure second place in Group L. Luka Sučić opened with a long-range rocket on 31 minutes, Derrick Luckassen equalised with a set-piece header on 73, and Nikola Vlašić headed home from Luka Modrić's corner in the 83rd minute to snatch the winner. Ghana, who needed a result to guarantee qualification, are eliminated. Croatia advance to the round of 32.
What it means for Last Man Standing pools
Croatia were one of the trickier group stage picks in this section — sitting behind England in Group L, they were always likely to advance but never a certain winner in any single match. Anyone who had Croatia stashed will be relieved by the 83rd-minute winner, particularly those who would have been watching Ghana's equaliser with growing dread. Ghana's exit will have ended a number of pools — the Black Stars had picked up four points going into the final matchday, meaning they were a credible dark-horse pick for some.
Pre-match predictions
Pre-match forecasts made Croatia moderate favourites: implied win probability was around 55 to 57% for a Croatia win, with a draw at approximately 28% and Ghana at 17%. The draw result remained plausible for long stretches of the game, and Ghana's equaliser on 73 minutes briefly made it the most likely outcome. Croatia's late winner defied the second-half narrative and rewarded the pre-match forecasts, even if the margin of victory was not reflective of how close the match actually was.
Standout stats
Modrić's assist for the winner came from a corner — his third direct assist from set pieces in the tournament, the most by any player in the 2026 World Cup group stage, per tournament records. Sučić's opening goal was measured at 27 metres from goal, making it one of the longest-range goals of the group stage, according to FIFA match data. Croatia have now scored a winning goal after the 80th minute in three of their last five World Cup knockout-round or group stage matches — a pattern of late drama that has become almost a defining trait of this generation of Croatian football.
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