Croatia, considered tournament dark horses by many, cruised through their opening encounter with Nigeria thanks to an own goal from Etebo Karo and a penalty from Luka Modric. The victory leaves Croatia top of Group D, but after a largely forgettable game in which they did not manage a shot on target from open play until the 92nd minute, Zlatko Dalic’s men will know they will have to improve if they are to make the kind of impression on the World Cup that the talent available to them suggests they should be capable of.
The final game on the only World Cup day with four fixtures, the match got under way as the final rays of sunshine faded in Kaliningrad, Russia’s exclave on the Baltic Sea that was a German city until 1945.
Both sides knew that with the might of Argentina and the sheer willpower of Iceland to come, defeat here would leave them with an unenviable task going forward, while victory would put them in control of the group after Iceland’s surprising point against Argentina earlier in the day.
Croatia have failed to get past the group stage since their stunning third-place finish in 1998 inspired by the goals of Davor Suker, while Nigeria have won just once at the World Cup in their three tournament appearances since the same year.
Croatia were firm favourites going into the game, with one of the most impressive midfields in the tournament on paper, and many in the so-called “golden generation” likely to be playing their last World Cup. Nigeria, in contrast, fielded one of the youngest sides at this World Cup, with the veteran midfielder Mikel John Obi guiding a team whose youthfulness was epitomised by the presence of their 19-year-old goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho.
Coming after the VAR drama, missed penalties and frenzied attacking football of yesterday’s earlier games, the first half hour felt rather insipid. Both sides were comfortable on the ball but unable to find a way through a tough midfield, and there were repeated stoppages for petty fouls. Croatia looked more lame horse than dark horse at times but showed flashes of danger, with Ivan Perisic firing just over the bar and Mario Mandzukic just past the post from distance.
Nigeria also looked dangerous going forward, surging towards the penalty area on a number of occasions without being able to find the final product. After a period of sustained pressure from a corner, the new Stoke signing Etebo Karo managed a weak shot from distance that bobbled wide.
Just after the half-hour mark, Modric, who had previously put in two poor corners from the left, hit a delightful ball in from Croatia’s third corner, this time from the right, flicked on from the edge of the six-yard box by Rebic. Kramaric’s diving header was going wide, but it was helped into the net by a hefty deflection off the back of Karo’s leg.
The good fortune seemed to breathe some life into Croatia and a few minutes later Kramaric headed just over from Rakitic’s cross. Nigeria spent first-half injury time going forward but a speculative shot from Victor Moses that sailed over the bar after a spell of pressure summed up their half.
The game meandered on after the break, both sides looking reasonably competent but largely uninspiring, Croatia always looking the more likely to produce a flash of skill or a dangerous attack. Rebic fired over from a brilliantly whipped-in cross by Perisic, though the linesman had his flag up – wrongly – for offside against Perisic.
With 20 minutes remaining, Croatia won a penalty after William Troost-Ekong needlessly climbed all over Mandzukic at a corner. It was the kind that is often not given, but Nigeria could have few complaints. Modric dispatched the penalty to make it 2-0.
In the end, it was a comfortable victory for Croatia, with encouraging performances from Rebic and Kramaric in midfield, and Modric providing the occasional searching ball. The Croatians now control the group but the real test of their World Cup credentials will come on Thursday, when they meet Argentina in Nizhny Novgorod.