Superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic (40) is watching on the bench. It comes in the 73rd minute for Isak, but that’s not enough for the World Cup coup. Instead, the Spaniards strike: Joker Morata dusts off to victory (86th).
The Swedes can qualify as second in the group through the playoffs.
Own goal drama brings Croatia to the World Cup
Croatia secured a ticket for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by beating Russia 1-0 in a water battle.
The runner-up world champion needed a win to overtake the Russian national team in Group H.
In a game that was marked by heavy rain showers in the Poljud stadium (Split / Croatia), it is ultimately an own goal by Fedor Kudryashov (82nd) that brings the decision. The central defender falsified a cross into his own goal.
A true déjà vu for the Russian selection! At the 2018 World Cup in their own country, they also failed on penalties to Croatia.
So Russia has to take the difficult step into the playoffs, in which only three more World Cup places will be awarded.
However: At the World Cup next year, the Russian national team will probably only compete under neutral colors after the doping judgment by the CAS.