The game began in lively fashion as both sides looked to play on the front foot in their opening Group F encounter.
With the Moroccans growing into the game as the first half progressed, it was the 2018 World Cup finalists who fashioned the best chances. 46 minutes into the game, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou had to make a spectacular save to keep the Croats out, and a minute later, Luka Modric's shot went narrowly over the bar.
The second half began in a frantic manner. Noussair Mazraoui headed towards goal and forced Croatia goalkeeper Livakovic into a save, before the Europeans bore down on the Moroccans, requiring a save from Bounou. In the 63rd minute, Hakim Ziyech rolled his free-kick for Achraf Hakimi, who struck a long-range effort that stung Livakovic's hands. It would be another free-kick nine minutes later, this time from the Croats, that would prove to be the next good chance.
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Croatia, finalists in 2018, happy to fly under the radar as they meet MoroccoCroatia have won their last five matches and lost once in 16 months, but the 2018 runners-up, led by midfield conjuror Luka Modric, will begin their Qatar World Cup campaign against Morocco on Wednesday with little fanfare and few predicting glory.
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