Croatia vs Canada Highlights: Croatia go top with 4-1 win, Canada eliminated | Football News

NEW DELHI: Canada’s celebration for their first ever goal in the men’s World Cup did not last long as they crashed out of the FIFA World Cup 2022 after suffering a 1-4 defeat against Croatia in their second Group F game on Sunday. Alphonso Davies scored the historical goal in the second minute to give Canada a perfect start, but Croatia showed their class to register a thumping comeback win.
Canada became the second team to be eliminated from the tournament, after hosts Qatar, after losing both their group matches so far.
Croatia scored two goals each in both the halves to go top of the group standings with four points from two games, ahead of Morocco, who shocked Belgium 2-0 earlier in the day, on goal difference. World No. 2 Belgium are at third with three points, and Canada at the bottom of the table.

Andrej Kramaric (36th minute and 70th minute) scored a brace for Croatia, while Marko Livaja (44th) and substitute Lovro Majer (94th) contributed a goal each.
The 2018 runners-up had fallen behind after 68 seconds at the Khalifa International Stadium when Alphonso Davies thumped a header into the net, but a potentially grim evening turned in their favour with two goals late in the first half.
After their dour opening draw with Morocco had instigated a post-mortem into whether this Croatia side lacked a killer instinct, Kramaric and Marko Livaja found the net before the break to take the wind out of Canada’s sails. Kramaric then doubled his tally after the break and Lovro Majer netted in stoppage time to wrap up a victory.
Canada had flown out of the blocks with the fastest goal of the tournament so far and their first in the World Cup, after drawing a blank in their only previous appearance in 1986.

A long clearance from the keeper eventually found its way to Tajon Buchanan, who shaped a superb cross from the right into the box where Davies was arriving like an express train to rise high above his marker and head powerfully down into the net.
Yet it was a half of two halves, as Croatia — thoroughly outplayed in the early stages — eventually shifted into gear.
They were level in the 36th minute when Ivan Perisic, a growing influence on the left, slid the ball through to Kramaric who fired first time into the far corner.
They took the lead eight minutes later when a lovely build-up from the back ended with Livaja firing right-footed low into the net from the edge of the area after being fed by Mateo Kovacic.

Canada’s hopes of getting back into the contest were dashed when a curling cross from Perisic on the left was controlled by Kramaric, who shifted the ball on to his left foot and dispatched it low into the bottom corner in the 70th minute.
Deep into stoppage time, Croatia added a final blow when Mislav Orsic broke clear and unselfishly squared for Livaja to tap home.
Croatia now need only a draw in their final game against third-placed Belgium to guarantee a knockout spot. After two defeats, Canada’s exit at the group stage was confirmed, leaving them to face Morocco in their final game.
(With inputs from agencies)