Il cammino della Croazia ai Mondiali 2018 è iniziato con il piede giusto. A Kaliningrad, nello stadio che venerdì ospiterà la sfida tra Svizzera e Serbia, Modric e compagni hanno sconfitto per 2-0 la Nigeria, portandosi in testa in solitaria al Gruppo D.
La compagine di Dalic ha controllato la partita dall'inizio alla fine e ha fatto la differenza con un gol per tempo. Protagonista in entrambi i momenti decisivi è stato Mandzukic: l'attaccante della Juventus al 32' è stato all'origine dell'autogol di Etebo mentre a metà ripresa è stato affossato in area da Troost-Ekong, procurandosi un rigore poi trasformato da Modric.
Con la sconfitta subita dalle Super Aquile allenate da Rohr continua il difficile inizio di Coppa del Mondo delle compagini africane, fino ad ora tutte battute (Egitto ko contro l'Uruguay e Marocco steso dall'Iran).
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