Croatia advances to World Cup playoff after defeating Ghana

NEW YORK, June 28. /TASS/. Croatia defeated Ghana 2:1 in the third and final round of the FIFA World Cup’s group stage and advanced to the playoff.

The game was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The goals were scored by Petar Sucic (31) and Nikola Vlasic (83). Derrick Luckassen netted the ball for Ghana on the 73rd minute.

Croatia is second in Group L with six points. Ghana is third with four points. Both teams will advance to the knockout stage.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States between June 11 and July 19. The matches are staged in 16 cities across the three countries. This is the first FIFA World Cup featuring 48 teams instead of the previous 32-team format.

The top two teams in each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-place finishers, will advance to knockouts. The event’s reigning champion is Argentina.