Croatia 2-1 Ghana player ratings: Woodwork finally favours Nikola Vlasic as the Vatreni end above Black Stars

Croatia won a see-saw World Cup 2026 Group L brushwood against Ghana to seal 2nd spot successful the conception aft a 2-1 occurrence successful Philadelphia. 

The European outfit went up through Petar Sucic successful the opening fractional hour, concisely taking them apical of the group, and the 2018 finalists stayed successful beforehand until Derrick Luckassen's 73rd-minute leveller, dropping Zlatko Dalic's men to 3rd successful the unrecorded standings. 

However, Nikola Vlasic, who deed the woodwork successful the archetypal half, had his 83rd-minute header spell successful aft kissing the station to spot Croatia leapfrog the Black Stars. 

Here, Sports Mole provides subordinate ratings from Croatia's 2-1 triumph implicit Ghana.

Croatia subordinate ratings vs. Ghana: Evergreen Modric thrives

GOALKEEPER

Dominik Livakovic - 5/10

Conceded with the lone changeable connected people helium faced, though helium could bash small to stop Luckassen's goal. 

DEFENCE

Josip Stanisic - 5/10

Josip Sutalo - 6/10

The centre-back won each duel and was ne'er shy to wide the shot distant from harm's way. 

Marin Pongracic - 5/10

Ivan Perisic - 6/10

The seasoned had a decent showing astatine left-back, though nary of his 4 crosses recovered intended target.

MIDFIELD

Luka Modric - 8/10

The Vatreni's evergreen skipper played 90 minutes and ran the show, creating the astir chances (four), including mounting up Vlasic's game-clinching assist. No subordinate had much touches than the 40-year-old, who besides enactment his assemblage successful the mode of a precocious Ghana effort soon aft Croatia went 2-1 up. 

Mateo Kovacic - 6/10

The Manchester City antheral acceptable up Sucic's opener, though the goalscorer inactive had a batch to bash aft the midfielder's pass. Kovacic notably played six passes into the last 3rd earlier going disconnected aft 78 minutes. 

Nikola Vlasic - 7/10

Hit the station successful the opening half, but scored the game's decisive extremity to clinch the runner-up spot for Croatia astatine Ghana's expense.

Petar Sucic - 7/10

Exploited the oceans of abstraction Ghana afforded him by firing a debased effort into the bottom-left country from region to enactment the Vatreni 1-0 up aft 30 minutes. Sucic besides won six of his 8 duels successful the eventual 2-1 triumph for his side.

Martin Baturina - 6/10

ATTACK

Ante Budimir - 5/10

SUBSTITUTES

Igor Matanovic - 6/10

Mario Pasalic - 6/10

Was denied what could person been the winning extremity with a superb Benjamin Asare save, but his squad scored from the resulting corner. 

Josko Gvardiol - N/A

Brought connected aft 88 minutes. 

Marco Pasalic - N/A

Also introduced aft 88 minutes. 

Ghana subordinate ratings vs. Croatia: Top Asare prevention not rewarded

GOALKEEPER

Benjamin Asare - 6/10

Denied Pasalic with a large prevention successful the last 10 minutes to support Ghana level, but could bash small to contradict Vlasic from the resulting corner. The shot-stopper was besides not astatine responsibility for Sucic's opening effort. 

DEFENCE

Marvin Senanya - 6/10

No subordinate had much antiaircraft contributions than the Ghana right-back's 12. 

Jonas Adjei Adjetey - 5/10

Withdrawn aft 45 minutes. 

Derrick Luckassen - 6/10

Finished his extremity with aplomb and was unfortunate that his equaliser did not unafraid 2nd place.

Gideon Mensah - 5/10

MIDFIELD

Thomas Partey - 6/10

Partey did not person arsenic bully a crippled arsenic helium had against England, but his willingness to play guardant passes (11) was typical.  

Elisha Owusu - 5/10

Kwasi Sibo - 5/10

ATTACK

Antoine Semenyo - 5/10

Semenyo had Ghana's lone first-half changeable flash conscionable wide, and helium seldom pulled up trees adjacent aft the Black Stars played much connected the beforehand ft pursuing the interlude. 

Jordan Ayew - 3/10

Ayew could bash small successful the opening fractional owed to Ghana's passive approach, but helium was hardly progressive either, adjacent aft the Black Stars played connected the beforehand foot. 

Kamaldeen Sulemana - 5/10

SUBSTITUTES

Kojo Peprah Oppong - 5/10

Abdul Fatawu Issahaku - 6/10

Fatawu's instauration changed the game, and the wide attacker gave Croatia thing caller to deliberation astir owed to his nonstop play. 

Ernest Nuamah - 6/10

Set up Luckassen's equaliser from a well-worked acceptable portion successful soon aft his introduction. 

Brandon Thomas-Asante - N/A

Caleb Yirenkyi - N/A