- Croatia and Morocco play out a drab goalless draw in Group F opener
- 2018 runners-up dominate possession but lack a cutting edge
- Next up: Belgium-Morocco and Croatia-Canada on 27 November
Morocco 0-0 Croatia | Group F
Thrills, spills and goals were sadly lacking at Al Bayt Stadium as Morocco and Croatia opened their Qatar 2022 campaigns with a forgettable 0-0 draw.
Chances were in short supply throughout a tense and evenly contested match, with Yassine Bono producing the one major save of note to keep out Nikola Vlasic’s effort late in the first half.
The 2018 runners-up dominated possession, while Achraf Hakimi showed some flashes of brilliance. But when the list of Qatar 2022’s most memorable matches is drawn up, this will not figure near the top.
Belgium and Canada face off in today’s other match in this section, and you can keep up-to-date via our Qatar 2022 live blog.
Key moment
Given the scarcity of clear-cut chances, Vlasic’s effort on the stroke of half-time stood out. Ivan Perisic, who was largely subdued, did some good work in the build-up before Borna Sosa produced a fine cross. But while the on-loan Torino striker looked odds-on to score, Bono came up with a fine save to keep the scoreline blank.
Stat of the Match
By taking to the field 75 days after his 37th birthday, Luka Modric became the oldest Croatian ever to take part in a World Cup match. The Vatreni captain surpassed the record set by Drazen Ladic, who was 35 years and 191 days old – a comparative youngster – when he took the field against the Netherlands in 1998.
Player of the Match
Luka Modric
@FIFA.com
Making their nation proud 🇲🇦
The Atlas Lions impressed in their #FIFAWorldCup2022 opener against 2018 semifinalists 🦁
Who shone brightest for Morocco? 👀
📸: @FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/1UL8BPYxzn
— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 23, 2022
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