Morocco gags Luka Modric and extinguishes the spark of the runner-up

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There is no man who can alone support the weight of a nation.

carries behind him the memory of that Croatia runner-up in the World, but he needs help.

He needed the Russian defender Kudriashov to score the goal that led

directly to Qatar and could not find a way to shake off the gag placed on him by the disciplined

.

comfortable with the nonchalance usually reserved for teams that have won just two games in six World Cups.

This time they had a plan and it went almost perfectly.

[Narration and statistics]

This Croatia in transition is still unable to renounce Modric's compass.

He is pure balance.

Present in defense and multiplied in attack, the game goes through his boots without discussion.

With

as a squire, he had to find Vlasic and

on the wings and

in the box.

The Tottenham winger offered him the first chance on the balcony of the area, but the shot did not even worry

.

He had to tune up more before the wall that Morocco was building, pure order with the only exception of the acceleration by the wing of a sublime

and his association with

.

The Croatian problems began on that right bank because

,

and even Perisic had to worry about.

But there was more.

's mission was to become the shadow of the Balkan lighthouse.

Ball that reached Modric, a ball that he forcefully disputed anywhere on the field.

The captain looked for the loophole through which to escape from his sticky presence, but he did not do it comfortably.

They sentenced him to live, except from set pieces, very far from the risk zone.

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With the web of coach

fulfilling its role, Croatia went into the break with two clear chances that could have tipped the game.

The first was a shot from Vlasic that was saved by Sevilla's Bono and, in addition, a shot from the crescent of Modric's area.

Able to contain the runner-up in the world, Morocco wanted to grow in the second half and keep a very open match in which they hardly made any mistakes.

He was able to surprise

when the head of full-back

to push to the far post, but he was injured in the fall.

Croatia's response was immediate: Modric found

in his band, although Bono appeared again.

Morocco did not wrinkle, insolent and led by the PSG defender who forced the Balkan goalkeeper to show off his fists with a right hand from the edge after an indirect free kick.

For the Atlas lions, capable of reaching the quarterfinals of the African Cup in 2021, only he lacked precision.

His coach wanted to drive the duel crazy more when he brought in

, the young pearl from Culé on loan from Osasuna, at the left-handed end.

He put will and self-confidence despite the fact that the stage weighed on him.

Croatia did not dwarf either trying to find the crack through which to assault its rival.

Modrid found it again in a ball hanging from the penalty spot that

prevented

from hunting with his toe .

If for the Balkans the tie represents a slight setback in their intention to fight for a place in the round of 16 with Belgium, for Morocco it is a breath of oxygen.

Victory is denied them in the World Cups and they must go back to Mexico 86 to find the only one they have achieved and that put them in the round of 16.

However, this team feels that the tie is not an anecdote.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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• Morocco national football team

• Croatian Soccer Team