Croatia vs. Belgium Football World Cup - prediction, team news, lineups

Croatia vs. Belgium Football World Cup - prediction, team news, lineups: Group F favorites Belgium face the prospect of elimination at the first hurdle of the 2022 Football World Cup when they get on Croatia at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Thursday.

The Red Devils currently sit in third place, one point after the Checkered Ones and Morocco in the top two heading into their final group match.

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After playing out a goalless draw with Morocco in their opening Group F match, Croatia responded with an imposing 4-1 victory over Canada on Sunday, boosting their last-16 hopes while eliminating the Maple Leafs in the procedure.

The Checkered Ones were at first made to work for the three points, with Alphonso Davies heading Canada in front following just 67 seconds, but Andrej Kramaric and Marko Livaja together netted towards the end of the first half to twist the game on its head.

Kramaric then tucked absent his second of the match 20 minutes from time by Lovro Majer came off the bench to enfold up the three points in added time and place Croatia in control of Group F.

Indeed, Zlatko Dalic's side now sit at the peak of their group with four points, only just above Morocco in second on goals scored, and the 2018 Football World Cup runners-up require now a draw against Belgium to book their place in the knockout rounds. A victory, in the meantime, would guarantee top spot if Morocco fails to beat Canada by a better goal margin than the Checkered Ones.

Croatia, ranked 12th in the world by FIFA

Croatia, ranked 12th in the world by FIFA, boast a physically powerful run of form heading into Thursday's contest, as they are winning in their last eight matches crossways all competitions, while they have also lost only one of their last 18 internationals as Euro 2020.

The Balkan nation have not compressed Belgium since securing a 1-0 friendly victory in 2010, other than feelings are high within the Croatian camp and Dalic and co will feel they have a strong chance of capitalizing on the poor form that Thursday's counterparts are stressed to shake off.

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Four years on from finishing third at the Football World Cup in Russia – their best-ever result at a main tournament – Belgium's golden age group are now staring down the barrel of a possible early way out at the group stage in Qatar.

In their opening Group F match, the Red Devils were fortunate to come absent with maximum points in a slender 1-0 win against a brave Canada outfit, but their luck ran out against Morocco as they were beaten 2-0 on Sunday good manners of two late strike from Romain Saiss and Zakaria Aboukhlal.

While riots in the road of Brussels broke out after the match, resistance within the Belgium camp have supposedly emerged, with recent media reports claiming that Romelu Lukaku had to interfere to break up a post-match dressing room bust-up flanked by Kevin De Bruyne and Jan Vertonghen.

Indeed, De Bruyne's eyebrow-raising claim that he and his teammates are "too old" to win the Football World Cup have not helped Belgium's reason, and they are somewhat perplexing as two of this year's pre-tournament favorites, Brazil and Argentina, together have big squads on average.

Croatia boss Dalic is improbable to make took a lot of changes

Roberto Martinez is under force to steer his side out of the group, and the Red Devils need a victory against Croatia to guarantee their place in the previous 16. A draw, meanwhile, will only be sufficient to claim a top-two mark if Morocco lose by three or additional goals against Canada.

Belgium, ranked second in the world by FIFA, have misplaced three of their last four games in all competitions, but they are winning in their last three meetings with Croatia, counting a narrow 1-0 friendly win in June last year, which give a glimmer of optimism for the Red Devils heading into Thursday's vital clash.

Croatia boss Dalic is improbable to make took a lot of changes, if any, to his starting array following Sunday's victory, which might see Livaja continue as the central striker in flanked by fellow attackers Kramaric and Ivan Perisic.

Thirty-seven-year-old captain Luka Modric is now one booking away from a suspension, but the Real Madrid man is expected to retain his place in centre-midfield alongside Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic.

While Dejan Lovren and Josko Gvardiol maintain their partnership at centre-back, Josip Juranovic and Borna Sosa will be hoping to stay their places at full-back ahead of Josip Stanisic and Borna Barisic in that order.

As for Belgium, Martinez is forced to create at least one change to his side on Thursday as midfielder Amadou Onana is ruled out from side to side suspension, with Youri Tielemans predictable to deputise alongside Axel Witsel.

Croatia's possible starting lineup:

 Sosa; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Kramaric, Livaja, Perisic, Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol

Belgium's possible starting lineup:

Tielemans, Witsel, Carrasco; De Bruyne, E. Hazard; Batshuayi, Courtois; Castagne, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Meunier,

Romelu Lukaku, who has been in a weak position with hamstring and thigh injuries so far this period, came off the bench against Morocco to compose his first appearance in Qatar, and Martinez is hopeful that the striker will be healthy to start against Croatia.

Though, Michy Batshuayi is motionless the most likely candidate to lead the line for the Red Devils, while De Bruyne and Eden Hazard are predictable to retain their places even though the attacking pair have move violently to make their mark in Qatar thus far.

Timothy Castagne may carry on in the back three alongside experienced centre-back pair Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, shielding goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who is balanced to make his 100th international look between the sticks.

Ex-Miss Croatia slammed for 'disrespectful' outfit’s dons risky dress to watch Ronaldo

Former Miss Croatia winner Ivana Knoll has by now sparked plenty of controversy for her outfits at the Football World Cup in Qatar - and she is not ready to tenor things down just up till now.

Ivana Knoll, an Instagram model dubbed the 2022 Football World Cup's sexiest fan, attracted notice over the weekend when she was seen tiring a G-string - breaking the traditional rules of Qatar.

Knoll also turned up to Croatia's match next to Morocco wearing a somewhat risqué outfit, by swapping into a bold plunging dress for her country's second game against Canada.

READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo's WAG Georgina Rodriguez wears dress layered with money on casino trip

And the bombshell model is showing no sign of slowing down where her modesty is concerned as she donned another sexy low cut top in the colors of Croatia on Monday afternoon.

Has Croatia ever won a World Cup?

Croatia has appeared in the FIFA Football World Cup on six occasions (in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022) as gaining independence in 1991. by that, from 1930 to 1990, Croatia was part of Yugoslavia. Their most excellent result thus far was reaching the 2018 final, where they lost 4–2 to France.

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