Croatia secure World Cup 2018 place with victory over Greece

Croatia's World Cup place never looked in doubt during the second leg

Croatia qualified for their fifth World Cup after following up their convincing play-off first-leg win over Greece with a dour goalless draw in Athens.

The game only had one shot on target, with the tie over as a contest after Croatia's 4-1 win in Zagreb.

The visitors went closest, with Ivan Perisic hitting the post from 30 yards.

Greece were much improved from the side called an "unprecedented disgrace" by domestic media in the first leg - but never looked like mounting a comeback.

They should have had a penalty early on when Ivan Strinic fouled Zeca, but Croatia were instead awarded a free-kick. Dimitrios Pelkas put the ball into an empty net late on, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Croatia's controversial decision to sack Ante Cacic and replace him with Zlatko Dalic - who has not even signed a contract yet - two days before the final group game has ultimately paid off.

The Balkan nation - who have qualified for 10 of 12 major tournaments since independence - did not have any supporters at the game, as both federations agreed to ban away fans from the two legs because of the possibility of violence.

• Which teams have qualified for Russia?
• What you need to know about play-offs

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Greece

• 1Karnezis
• 15Torosidis
• 4Manolas
• 19Papastathopoulos
• 16Retsos
• 6Tziolis
• 17TachtsidisBooked at 24mins
• 7ChristodoulopoulosSubstituted forFortounisat 59'minutes
• 8Gonçalves Rodrigues
• 14BakasetasSubstituted forGianniotasat 59'minutes
• 11MitroglouSubstituted forPelkasat 78'minutes

Substitutes

• 2Maniatis
• 3Tzavellas
• 5Papadopoulos
• 9Diamantakos
• 10Fortounis
• 12Kapino
• 13Anestis
• 18Gianniotas
• 20Pelkas
• 21Stafylidis
• 22Samaris
• 23Oikonomou

Croatia

• 23Subasic
• 2Vrsaljko
• 6Lovren
• 21Vida
• 3Strinic
• 7Rakitic
• 11Brozovic
• 17Mandzukic
• 10ModricSubstituted forMitrovicat 90+1'minutes
• 4PerisicSubstituted forRebicat 86'minutes
• 16N KalinicSubstituted forKramaricat 78'minutes

Substitutes

• 1Livakovic
• 5Mitrovic
• 8Vlasic
• 9Kramaric
• 12L Kalinic
• 13Nizic
• 14Rebic
• 15Rog
• 18Bradaric
• 19Leovac
• 20Pasalic
• 22Pivaric

Referee:

Björn Kuipers

Attendance:

18,667

Match Stats

Home TeamGreeceAway TeamCroatia

Possession

Home64%

Away36%

Shots

Home8

Away6

Shots on Target

Home1

Away0

Corners

Home4

Away3

Fouls

Home13

Away18

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Greece 0, Croatia 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+3'

Second Half ends, Greece 0, Croatia 0.

Substitution

Posted at 90'+1'

Substitution, Croatia. Matej Mitrovic replaces Luka Modric.

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt missed. Dimitrios Pelkas (Greece) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Giannis Gianniotas.

Posted at 90'

Zeca (Greece) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Ante Rebic (Croatia).

Posted at 88'

Attempt missed. Andrej Kramaric (Croatia) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Marcelo Brozovic.

Posted at 87'

Attempt saved. Panagiotis Tachtsidis (Greece) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 86'

Giannis Gianniotas (Greece) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Ante Rebic (Croatia).

Substitution

Posted at 86'

Substitution, Croatia. Ante Rebic replaces Ivan Perisic.

Posted at 85'

Offside, Croatia. Ivan Rakitic tries a through ball, but Luka Modric is caught offside.

Posted at 82'

Corner, Greece. Conceded by Dejan Lovren.

Posted at 82'

Attempt blocked. Dimitrios Pelkas (Greece) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Panagiotis Tachtsidis.

Posted at 79'

Offside, Greece. Panagiotis Tachtsidis tries a through ball, but Vasilis Torosidis is caught offside.

Posted at 79'

Attempt missed. Panagiotis Tachtsidis (Greece) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Zeca.

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Greece. Dimitrios Pelkas replaces Kostas Mitroglou.

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Croatia. Andrej Kramaric replaces Nikola Kalinic.

Posted at 76'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 75'

Delay in match Konstantinos Fortounis (Greece) because of an injury.

Posted at 74'

Konstantinos Fortounis (Greece) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Mario Mandzukic (Croatia).

Posted at 70'

Kostas Mitroglou (Greece) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Dejan Lovren (Croatia).

Posted at 68'

Sokratis (Greece) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Mario Mandzukic (Croatia).

Posted at 65'

Foul by Kostas Mitroglou (Greece).

Posted at 65'

Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 63'

Alexandros Tziolis (Greece) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia).

Posted at 61'

Offside, Greece. Konstantinos Fortounis tries a through ball, but Giannis Gianniotas is caught offside.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Giannis Gianniotas (Greece).

Posted at 60'

Ivan Strinic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 59'

Substitution, Greece. Giannis Gianniotas replaces Anastasios Bakasetas.

Substitution

Posted at 59'

Substitution, Greece. Konstantinos Fortounis replaces Lazaros Christodoulopoulos.

Posted at 58'

Attempt missed. Kostas Mitroglou (Greece) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Panagiotis Tachtsidis.

Posted at 54'

Anastasios Bakasetas (Greece) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 54'

Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Croatia).

Posted at 52'

Attempt blocked. Panagiotis Tachtsidis (Greece) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 51'

Corner, Greece. Conceded by Domagoj Vida.

Show more updates