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Croatia fall flat in 'difficult game' against Morocco in World Cup 2022

Runners-up four years ago, the worry is that this Croatian generation might have run out of steam.

Just as it was in Russia 2018, Zlatko Dalic’s side still very much revolves around the typically imperious Luka Modric, but they have been reduced somewhat by a series of key retirements in the interim. Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Rakitic, Vedran Corluka and Sime Vrsaljko are no longer there, while Ante Rebic was not selected.

Of course, there remain the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Perisic - stars at Chelsea, Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively - but no doubt the support cast's prowess has pinched a little.

On Wednesday, as Croatia commenced their campaign to go one better than four years ago, that appeared evident. They struggled against Morocco in the Group F opener at Al Bayt Stadium, playing out a goalless draw that contained plenty of effort but minimal enterprise.

Afterwards, Dalic referenced the change from 2018 to now. Only four players that contested the last final against France started on Wednesday.

"This is a whole other team,” the former Al Ain manager said. “Four years have passed since the last World Cup and we have virtually a new national team. We cannot draw comparisons between the two generation of players.

"But this is a team that has high values and competence. This result against Morocco was not a disappointment and proved that this is going to be a difficult tournament.”

On Wednesday, too often Andrej Kramaric was isolated up front, as was Marko Livaja when he replaced him for the final 15 minutes.

Even if Modric, at times, displayed his usual mastery in the middle. The Real Madrid star, who turned 37 in September, debuted at the World Cup as far back as 2006.

Against

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