WITH little at stake, it was great to see Croatia and Morocco making a real game of the contest for third place, ultimately won 2-1 by Croatia.

They were certainly the better side on the day, their intricate and precise passing game proving frustrating for the Atlas Lions, who relied on swift counter attacks.

The emotions on the faces of the Moroccan players during the national anthems were an indication of their wish to end their World Cup campaign on an exclamation mark rather than a full stop.

It certainly wasn’t for lack of trying, and there was plenty of heart and ball skill from the African nation, but it could not make up for the class difference.

The game was entertaining from the start, and a flying one it was at that.

Croatia had the ball in the net in just the 6th minute from a well-rehearsed free kick taken by Majer who found the head of Perisic and he directed it to the arriving ‘masked marvel’ Gvardiol , who headed it home in emphatic style (1-0).

The response was almost immediate and in copycat style as this time Dari got on the end of a Moroccan free kick to deflect it past star Croatian keeper Livakovic, who could only admire the header but do nothing to stop it (1-1).

There was plenty of cut-and-thrust, half chances and might-have-been’s, but the game’s third and final goal would also come in the first half, shortly before the break.

Receiving the ball wide on the left, Orsic went for placing rather than power and guided the ins-winging ball to the far corner, where it bounded into the net off the inside of the post (2-1).

The second half saw a procession of substitutions, some of which were unfortunately due to injuries which one hopes will not see players sidelined for future club duties.

Others were simply to give World Cup opportunities to unused squad members, to add to their CVs.

For Croatia, the likes of Hakimi, Dari, Amrabat, Ziyech, and En-Nesyri showed us why they arose as new global stars during the contest.

As for Croatia, it may have been the sad farewell for 37-year Luka Modric, who showed nothing but skill, pace and class throughout the tournament; this game being his 19th World Cup appearance.

I wouldn’t put it past him being at the next one!

Croatia then finish third, after losing in the final to France in the previous edition. Not bad for such a small nation.