The match between Croatia and Ghana in Group L's third round will be decisive for both teams. Croatia bounced back from a 4-2 defeat to England with a win over Panama and now has three points, while Ghana, after a 0-0 draw with England and a 1-0 win over Panama, has four points. Both teams still have a chance to advance to the knockout rounds, meaning they will be playing as openly and aggressively as possible in attack.
Despite Ghana's reputation for disciplined defense (they have conceded only one goal in their last eight matches), Croatia's attack is capable of breaching any defensive fortification. They have scored 31 goals in their last 12 games, averaging 2.58 goals per match. Moreover, the teams already met at the 2014 World Cup, with Croatia winning 2-1—a scenario that could repeat itself.
Given the importance of the match, the attacking potential of the Croatians, led by Luka Modrić, and Ghana's need to earn points, goals from both sides seem highly likely. Statistics confirm this: in the only head-to-head meeting between the teams, both sides will score, and the Croatians have found the net in 10 of their last 12 matches.
