The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group F Croatia v Belgium clash between two of the older squads at the World Cup going in different directions that could spell the end of this tournament’s biggest disappointment in Belgium.
With so many games and so little time, our Group F Croatia v Belgium Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game and with just a hint of cynicism. If you wanted professional and/or good you’d be on the BBC website, not here. Essentially, we watch and follow the game so you don’t have to.
With answers to the key questions prior to the match and our Minutes that Mattered summary and stats post game, it is a real Who Cares guide to the 2022 World Cup for the person on the go.
Enjoy the Group F Croatia v Belgium Match Centre.
KICKOFF – THURSDAY 1ST DEC – 18:00 (QATAR) 15:00 (UK) 02:00 (AEDT)
Group F Croatia v Belgium Match Review
Croatia have defeated Belgium to a knockout stage place after their final group stage clash ended 0-0.
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
1’ Min Croatia are not stuffing around tonight and have a shot at goal within the first ten seconds of the match, with Ivan Perisic putting his shot just wide. And they’re all over Belgium in the first few minutes, with a real shock and awe feel.
9’ Min After the initial burst from Croatia, Belgium take control of the possession in the midfield arm wrestle, and their first decent chance of the game came through Yannick Carrasco as he tried to sneak in a shot at the near post but is denied by defender and keeper. A few minutes later Belgium break through the middle and Dries Mertens puts his sot over the crossbar.
14’ Min PENALTY TO CROATIA
A Free Kick to Croatia with Luka Modric leads to a penalty to Croatia in the scramble after the free kick is taken. Yannick Carrasco collects Andrej Kramarić on the back of the leg in the box and the penalty is awarded.
16’ Min NOT A PENALTY TO CROATIA
Perhaps after a tip off from the VAR team, lord knows who else would have the expertise to spoil a party, the referee signals the dreaded Air Square to have a closer look at the whole incident. The result is a Croatian player was offside with the initial free kick, so everything after that is as null and void as a host nation at a World Cup in Qatar.
26’ Min Corner to Croatia. Not that corners necessarily lead to that many goals at his World Cup, we thought we’d just mention it as something mildly exciting happening. That isn’t within the two penalty areas. The corner attack has finished by the time we look up from typing this, so must have been a good one.
30’ Min With Morocco now two goals ahead of Canada in the other game happening, this means that Belgium must win to progress to the knockout stage. The question is do Belgium look bothered enough to power to victory? Not really if we’re honest and being tough but fair on Belgium. Perhaps all the off field talk of locker room trouble is all true. In the meantime Croatia have another shot at goal, albeit one that flies well over the crossbar. But hey, at least they’re trying.
36’ Min Some heroic defending by Ivan Perisic as he sprints from a mile away (not actually miles) to block a Belgium shot and his follow up pass starts a Croatia attack straight away. That is showing the commitment of a team that’s here to win. Perisic doubling down on his excellent performance last game too.
39’ Min An underwhelming Belgian attack ends as advertised. The coverage then moves to Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku warming up on the sideline. We figure only 50% of that duo will make any difference to Belgium if they come on.
45’ Min As if bored by the game as well Croatia’s Borna Sosa has a shot from outside the box that never looks like going in. Four minutes of added time are declared, not that anyone was really asking for more. Not even that hungry kid from the Dickens’ Olivier Twist would be coming back for a second helping of this.
HALF TIME – CROATIA 0 BELGIUM 0
46’ Min Belgium showing some intent to win this game by throwing on Lukaku for the second half, which is 100% of that 50% we mentioned earlier.
47’ Min A dangerous cross into the box by Belgium is stopped by a masked man. Thankfully this man was a player and allowed on the field to do so.
49’ Min Kovacic has a shot on target that required a neat save from Thibaut Courtois. From the resulting corner Croatia’s Borna Sosa has another shot from distance which clears the goal by a distance. He should really distance himself from further attempts.
53’ Min Belgian keeper is earning his pay right now, although do these overpaid footballers ever earn their extraordinary pays, with shots from Marcelo Brozović and Luka Modric producing saves. Courtois bats these shots away rather than cleanly taking them in, so we can crystal ball that and see an easy tap in coming for Croatia soon.
59’ Min The footballing gods appear to not want Belgium to win. Yannick Carrasco gets within a few metres of the goal and his shot is blocked by Ivan Perisic, and with an almost open goal from the rebound Lukaku’s thunderous shot smashes into the post and goes at right angles. Lukaku puts a decent header chance over the bar a minute later. Although the ball was out by the time Kevin de Bruyne had crossed it.
80’ Min The game is starting to get that little more desperate now. As Belgium realise they need to score to win and Croatia that a draw will do. Not that it’s stopping Croatia from continuing to attack and create chances. They certainly look the most likely to score from their sustained attacks on Belgium, but with Lukaku and Kevin de Bruyne the Belgians still have that potential match winner to conjure up something special. Whether they deserve it or not.
84’ Min Belgium look like they’re about to bring on Eden Hazard. The TV coverage then pans to Belgian fans booing, whistling and vigorously shaking their thumbs down. We’re not sure if that’s for the lack of beer, aimed at nearby Croatian fan or they don’t really want Hazard to come on.
86’ Min Belgium are starting to look a little dangerous, and capable of finding a winner. Kevin de Bruyne hits the side netting, another Belgian shot is blocked by a masked man, and in general are camped in the Croatian half.
90’ Min How on earth did Lukaku miss that? A Belgian cross comes in and goes over the Croatian keeper and defender and waiting at the back posts is Lukaku with an open goal and it hits him in the chest and drops down to the keeper to recover. He is denied another chance a minute later by a masked man again. This mystery fellow doing quite the job in defence.
90’ +3 Min One minute to go for Belgium to steal the knockout stage berth from Croatia. They can’t and thus out go the third place team from the last World Cup, knocked out by the second placed team from the last World Cup. To be fair, a side that scores one goal in the group stage probably don’t deserve to go through for higher honours. Although worth pointing out that Croatia blanked in two of their three games as well.
Final Score
CROATIA 0
BELGIUM 0
HT 0-0
Player of the Match
Ivan Perisic
Points of Interest
- Croatia brought back some glory days feel in the first half with some attacking long throws, a throwback to the great Rory Delap in Stoke City’s stay in the Premier League.
- Croatia’s home shirt is among our favourites of the tournament. Such simple classic elegance like the Peru jersey which sadly didn’t make the World Cup, although as an Australian fan we’ll live.
- FIFA boss Gianni Infantino was seen in the crowd on the TV coverage beside some coffee cups We wonder if he was feeling like a coffee cup today. Or if he ever regularly feels like a clown.
Group F Croatia v Belgium Match Stats
Group F Croatia v Belgium Starting Teams
CROATIA (4-3-3)
1 Livakovic
22 Juranovic
6 Lovren
20 Gvardiol
19 Sosa
10 Modric
11 Brozovic
8 Kovacic
9 Kramaric
14 Livaja
4 Perisic
BELGIUM (4-2-3-1)
1 Courtois
15 Meunier
2 Alderweireld
5 Vertonghen
21 Castagne
19 Dendoncker
6 Witsel
7 De Bruyne
14 Mertens
11 Carrasco
17 Trossard
Group F Croatia v Belgium Match Preview
Why should you care?
Because one of the fancied teams of the World Cup could be knocked out as a result of this game.
Belgium with their range of favourite stars have underwhelmed so far, scraping past Canada 1-0 for a win, then were well beaten by Morocco 2-0 in their next game, leaving them in the predicament they are in now where they have to win their hardest game of the group stage.
Croatia were involved in a 0-0 in their first game, and similar comparisons were drawn to Belgium as an aging squad could be nearing the end of a cycle. But Croatia were so good in their last game that you just can;t see them not at least securing a point which would suit Croatia and potentially end Belgium’s World Cup based on the result from the other game.
Who should you care about?
Well if this isn’t the time for Kevin de Bruyne to step up for Belgium and produce some magic to keep his country in the World Cup. The H2H playmaker battle between de Bruyne and Luka Modric for Croatia is key.
Ivan Perišić was in good form v Canada and his precision chance creation may not be something that the aging Belgian defence will be looking forward to it.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Stats
Is there a barely interesting fact?
A draw in this game would see the H2H will equal across both teams and a draw.
Belgium (W4 D1) are undefeated in their last five group games against European teams. Croatia have won both of their games v Europe opposition in the Group Stages.
Who will win?
Croatia 2 Belgium 1
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
How does the table look?
Team / Played / Points / Goals Scored / Goals Conceded / Goal Difference
| Croatia | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Morocco | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Belgium | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| Canada | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | -4 |
