"Veteran" Modric brings Croatia to the World Cup

The unequal battle between the world's Top 10 team (Croatia) and the opponent 120 places lower (Faroe Islands) almost requires no prediction of the result, regardless of the fact that in the first leg more than 2 months ago, Croatia struggled to overcome the Faroe Islands with a minimal score in the middle of the ocean.

Faroe Islands put on heavy pressure early in the game

Winning this rematch with any score will secure an early ticket, so host Croatia entered the match with determination.

However, the "script" of the match at HNK Rijeka stadium satisfied the audience with many truly attractive details.

Croatia, despite being rated much higher, experienced some really tense moments when hosting the Faroe Islands in the key match of the World Cup qualifiers.

The home team seemed to be somewhat subjective when they significantly changed the lineup compared to the previous win against Gibraltar.

Gvardiol Surprise

Right from the start of the match, Croatia pushed up their attacking formation, but the first golden opportunity was unfortunately missed by Petar Sucic after a sharp pass from Ivan Perisic.

The surprise happened in the 15th minute when defender Josko Gvardiol lost the ball dangerously in the middle of the field, creating conditions for Geza Turi of the Faroe Islands to run up and finish.

The shot hit a Croatian defender, changed direction, and went beyond the control of goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic before landing in the net. The stadium was almost silent.

Geza Turi and his teammates were excited with the opening goal against Croatia

The goal was like a bucket of cold water, but also a motivation for the former world runner-up to wake up. Just 7 minutes later, Gvardiol himself made up for his mistake. Receiving the ball in a comfortable position, he unleashed a left-footed shot as strong as a thread, leveling the score at 1-1.

Josko Gvardiol made up for his mistake with an equalizer before the end of the first half

The star's courage speaks out

Throughout the first half, Faroe displayed admirable fighting spirit. Although Jakup Andreasen and Hanus Sorensen sometimes made the Croatian defense falter, the bravery of the big stars helped the home team maintain the game.

Captain Luka Modric was the one who controlled the tempo and constantly threatened Mattias Lamhauge's goal with powerful long-range shots.

Captain Luka Modric lifts Croatia's spirits

In the second half, coach Zlatko Dalic instructed his players to put pressure on their opponents from the start. In the 50th minute, Petar Musa showed off his skillful ball control and then fired a precise shot in the penalty area, putting Croatia ahead 2-1.

Petar Musa put Croatia ahead at the decisive moment

Perisic seals victory and World Cup ticket

When the Faroe Islands were forced to defend deep with 10 men, they only created more opportunities for Croatia to show off.

In the 70th minute, star Ivan Perisic had a terrifying acceleration, surpassing Viljormur Davidsen on the right wing, before sending a cross for Nikola Vlasic to volley close to the goal, sealing a 3-1 victory for Croatia.

Nikola Vlasic scored the final goal to make it 3-1 for Croatia

These three full points have officially helped coach Zlatko Dalic's team win an early ticket to North America next summer.

A deserved, albeit difficult, victory ended the Faroe Islands' hopes of a miracle. Croatia became the 30th team in the world to reach the 2026 World Cup finals early.