Sucic scores as Croatia reach the Round of 32

An unforgettable night for Petar Sucic, and one that will always hold a special place in his memories. The Nerazzurri midfielder netted his first World Cup goal, opening the scoring against Ghana and helping Croatia to a crucial 2-1 victory at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia that secured their place in the Round of 32.

Sucic, named in the starting line-up by coach Zlatko Dalic, made it 1-0 in the 31st minute. After receiving Kovacic's pass in the final third, he looked up, picked his spot and drilled a precise low finish into the bottom corner beyond Asare's reach. A moment of brilliance, a flawless strike and pure elation.

The match was decided in the second half, with Vlasic scoring the winner in the 83rd minute after Luckassen had equalised for Ghana ten minutes earlier. The victory saw Croatia finish second in Group L with six points, behind England. They will return to action in the early hours of Friday 3 July, when they face Portugal in the Round of 32 at the BMO Field in Toronto, with kick-off scheduled for 01:00 CEST.