Croatia – Ghana: A Poor Game From Open Play Decided By Setpieces (2-1)

Ghana and Croatia advanced to the next round of the World Cup in a game in which both teams struggled against each other’s zonal blocks. Both national teams lacked the attacking firepower and tools to test each other from open play. Nevertheless, set pieces decided the outcome of the clash.

Tactical analysis and match report by Achraf Lamdarhri.

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Heading into their final clash in the group against Croatia, Ghana found themselves in a comfortable situation, having already secured qualification to the knockout stages under Carlos Queiroz. The Black Stars managed to win their first game against Panama and displayed defensive solidity against one of the contenders for the World Cup titles. England encountered a compact and one of the sternest low blocks in the competition, which made them appear without solutions.

For Croatia, the stakes were far higher as they came from a defeat against England and a win against Panama. After their 4-2 loss against Thomas Tuchel’s team, question marks loomed on the horizon about Zlatko Dalić’s side’s defensive vulnerability. Croatia would face a national team that contains one of the best members in transitions, led by Antoine Semenyo. On the positive side, Croatia relied on veterans, led by Luka Modrić, to support the young core in fulfilling the goals of the national team in the 2026 World Cup.

Zlatko Dalić started with Josip Stanišić as a right back, Ivan Perišić as a left back, with Josip Šutalo and Marin Pongračić sitting at the heart of the defense. Mateo Kovačić got the nod alongside Luka Modrić in the pivot. Nikola Vlašić, Petar Sučić, and Martin Baturina played behind the striker, Ante Budimir.

Ghana lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, in which Gideon Mensah and Marvin Senaya slotted in the fullback positions. Derrick Luckassen and Jonas Adjetey partnered in the middle of the backline. Thomas Partey functioned as a lone pivot, with Kwasi Sibo and Elisha Owusu functioning as central midfielders. Antoine Semenyo and Kamaldeen Sulemana hugged the touchlines, with Jordan Ayew leading the attack.

A toothless in-possession phases from both sides, Croatia exploits Ghana’s rest defense

Ghana retreated to defend zonally in a 4-5-1 medium/low block. Jordan Ayew cut off the passing lane between the center-backs and Luka Modric. Ghana wingers operated inside, monitoring Stanišić and Perišić, who advanced down the flanks. Sibo and Owusu covered the half-spaces and blocked off access between Croatia’s players behind the ball and the attacking midfielders. Thomas Partey patrolled the central channel and screened Ante Budimir. At the backline, the fullbacks remained inside, engaging with the attacking midfielders, with the center-backs ready to step out onto Croatia’s striker and the attacking midfielder, strolling between the lines. On the left side, Mateo Kovačić dropped as a situational center-back, encouraging a jump from Elisha Owusu. That freed up the left half-space for Baturina to dash in and show for the ball. However, Semenyo and Senaya remaining inside and compact vertically enabled them to pounce on Baturina, limiting his options and regaining the ball.

Out of possession, Croatia defended in a 4-1-4-1 zonal medium/low block, morphed into a 5-4-1 shape depending on Ghana’s in-possession phases. Partey split the center-backs, with the fullbacks pushing on. Semenyo and Sulemana tucked inside. Sibo and Owusu swung vertically, operating at different heights of the pitch. Budimir cut off access between the backline and the dropping central midfielder, with Sučić being behind to jump and screening Sulemana on the left half space. Modrić covered the center and followed the other central midfielder, whereas Kovačić monitored the right inside channel. Baturina acted inside, shutting down the half-space, and was in position to run toward Adjetey. Vlašić tended to drop alongside Stanišić when Mensah pushed up on the same line as Sulemana. One of Croatia’s center-backs engaged with Ayew, with the other sweeping behind, whilst Perišić took charge of the right, swinging across depending on the ball side.

13th minute: Croatia’s advanced buildup. Perišić and Baturina on the left, and Stanišić and Vlašić on the right, secure double width. Kovačić and Modrić, operating close to the center-backs, drag the central midfielder with them. Meanwhile, Budimir attacks depth. That stretches Ghana vertically, generating space between the lines and a passing lane between Pongračić and Sučić.

Sixteen minutes in, Thomas Partey left his position between the center-backs and advanced as a lone pivot. Adding to that, Ghana’s full-backs’ high position means that Croatia had room in the center and around the center-backs to navigate their transitions. Sulemana missed his backward pass, which Budimir picked up behind Partey. The former drew the center-backs toward the right, leaving space on the left for Baturina to exploit. At the edge of the box, Partey and Ghana’s center-backs tilted toward the left as Budimir attacked depth diagonally. That left Mensah outnumbered by Vlašić and Sučić. The former received Baturina’s lateral pass and shot the ball toward the left post.

A sharper Croatia after the hydration break

As time elapsed, Croatia adopted a more aggressive approach, shifting from their zonal block to a high-press shape, forcing Ghana to work the ball backward. Half an hour gone, Sučić, Budimir, and Baturina jumped onto Ghana’s situational back three with Kovačić and Modrić engaging with the opposite central midfielders. Croatia’s back five monitored Ghana’s front-line players. Perišić collected Adjetey’s miscued pass, enabling Croatia to settle in the final third. After overloading the play on the left side, Kovačić spotted Sučić in free space in the central channel. Sibo was late in shifting across, and Sulemana was tied on the right, as Stanišić joined Vlašić. As a result, Sučić powered his shot home.

After the hydration break, Croatia looked sharper and in control high up the pitch. In addition, the winning game state contributed to the settled in-possession shape. On the left, Perišić would dart inside, drawing the right back with him, whereas Kovačić took a position behind on the left half-space, tying Owusu with him. As Baturina took Perišić’s position near the flank, the latter would advance and peel off wide to drag his marker with him and free the inside channel for Baturina to drift infield. The goal was to switch the ball to the opposite side, where Stanišić and Vlašić overload Sulemana.

However, as Croatia retreated to defend deep, Ghana found gaps and worked the ball into dangerous situations. Eight minutes after Croatia’s goal, Croatia sat in a 5-4-1 low block. On the right side, Adjetey’s side-on body orientation deceived Perišić and Baturina to slide across toward the flank. That stretched the right half-space for Adjetey to prod the ball onto Semenyo. The latter drove forward between Perišić and Pongračić, penetrating the box and firing a shot close toward the left post.

42nd minute: Adjetey’s deep position attracts Baturina, with Perišić ready to shift across toward Senaya. In the center, Ayew proceeds with a run between the center-backs, drawing them with him and expanding the gap between Pongračić and Perišić. Semenyo takes advantage of the situation, attacking that gap and heading the ball down to Senaya. Baturina’s recovery run enables him to block off Ghana’s right back’s delivery.

Ghana looks for direct access to the wide players

In the second half, Carlos Queiroz brought in Oppong and Fatawu, replacing Adjetey and Owusu. Semenyo acted as a second striker with Fatawu, functioning near the flanks on the right. In possession, Ghana lined up in a 3-2-5 shape in which Mensah tucked in to form a situational back three with the center-backs. Partey worked alongside Sibo. Sulemana hugged the touchlines on the left, whereas Senaya and Fatawu swapped positions, depending on the situation.

In the center, Semenyo pinned Pongračić. Sibo attracted Kovačić to jump on, leaving the right inside channel free for Fatawu to tuck in. That tied Baturina and Perišić inside and opened up a direct passing lane between Sibo and Senaya. As the ball went wide, Perišić didn’t commit fully toward Senaya, whilst Baturina pulled wide. Hence, Fatawu found himself roaming down the gap between Croatia’s left back and left center-back. Ghana attempted to work the ball out via a diagonal pass toward the inside. However, Perišić’s position allowed him to cut the ball off. On other occasions, Senaya would proceed with a diagonal, out-in run to drag Baturina with him and clear the way toward Fatawu near the flanks. That enabled the latter to drive toward the byline and look for crosses.

55th minute: Ghana’s attack. Semenyo ties Stanišić with him down the left half-space, which allows Luckassen to switch to Sulemana. Whilst shifting across, Stanišić keeps his eyes on the ball, finding himself covering the area around Sulemana’s right foot. Ghana’s winger exploits the situation, driving toward the cutback zone, leaving his marker in his wake. Sulemana glides the ball across toward Ayew, who looks to exploit the space vacated by Semenyo, dragging Sutalo backward. However, Modrić slides, wiping the threat.

Set-pieces decide the game’s outcome

Right after the hydration break, the substitute Ernest Nuamah delivered an inswinging free kick from the right half-space toward the far post area. Partey and Luckassen overloaded Stanišić on the far side. Ghana’s center-back sneaked behind Sučić to face the goal and put the ball home.

Eight minutes later, Croatia attempted to go long from the goal kick. The goalkeeper aimed at Igor Matanović as a target. In the meantime, Petar Sučić pushed on toward Mensah, who won the second ball. Sibo collected the knockdown. Croatia flooded the center, which allowed Baturina to steal the ball away from Sibo. Senaya’s late step-outs drove the ball holder to set up Mario Pašalić at the edge of the box. The latter shot toward the top right of the net; however, the goalkeeper pulled off a heroic save.

That shot led to a corner from which Croatia reclaimed their lead. Fatawu took a position inside the box in the front to be ready to step out in case of a short corner. Sibo and Mensah covered the front post area, operating at different heights. The latter functioned inside the six-yard box, whilst the former sat at the edge of it. The center-backs covered the central space, monitoring Pašalić, whereas Senaya protected the far post, keeping tabs on Vlašić. Around the penalty area, Partey, Semenyo, and Thomas-Asante marked Matanović, Pongračić, and Šutalo, respectively. Ahead, Nuamah remained central to prepare for the counterattack. Behind, Ivan Perišić was free to receive the ball if it got past the front players. Baturina, Sučić, and Stanišić sat outside the box to pounce on rebounds.

Luka Modrić waved with his hands in the corner spot, Šutalo dragged Thomas-Asante toward the far post zone, Matanović sneaked behind Partey, with Pongračić darting toward the near post area, drawing Semenyo. That vacated the central area for Vlašić to creep behind, create separation from Senaya, and head the ball toward the bottom left of the net.

Takeaways

The outcome of the game didn’t impact Ghana and Croatia’s place in the group. Both secured a place in the round of 32. However, both national teams seemed to lack an answer when they encountered a low/medium block. Their possession game held no threat, and rarely did they create chances. Nonetheless, both teams appeared to follow the recent season’ trend, as set pieces allowed each one of them to come alive from a disadvantageous game state.

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